Living Livee

And here we go!

After more than a decade here at JoyZAChoice, this Blossoming Being has decided it's time to S-T-R-E-T-C-H. I will continue to post here too, and take on the challenge of TWO blogs with optimistic enthusiasm. If you will click on the link below, you'll find my first post. And Introduction of sorts. Rather than repeat what's already there, I'll just say this:

Welcome to my other world.

{For my die-hard fans: please do not dismay. LivingLivee will be just as mindful as JoyZAChoice, with the added bonus of no limitations. I promise not to post any Ickiness or otherwise unpleasant stuff. It just ain't my nature to do any of that nonsense. Grins and giggles and a little snortin' through me nose...{

Carry on, my friends ~~~

LivingLivee.com

#LivingLivee #CamilleOlivia #CamilleOliviaStrate #JoyZAChoice

Fledglings: Finding Your Wings

As a fledgling artist, I find that using other people's works to hone my skills an absolute must. I don't yet have the techniques down. I still struggle to draw what I see in my Mind's Eye. I have ideas, to be sure. Yet those ideas turn out looking like blobs of incoherence (to me). In other words, for now, I attempt to copy things I see and am inspired by.

It is said that imitation is the sincerest form of flattery. That feels right to me. When someone tries to copy me, I do feel flattered. If I can inspire someone with my work, whether it is words or art or music, then I feel a sense of accomplishment. I would never try to pass off someone else's ideas or creations as my own. I give credit where credit is due. And if I still need to use a photo or painting to expand my own artistic Creator, then that is how it is, without apology or regret.

I bring this up today because I'm beginning to feel the pull of my own Creative Mind. It is nudging me toward the images in my Mind, rather than the images in others'. It is whispering, "Go on. Just give it a go. What's the worst that can happen?" The cool thing is, I haven't really tried in several months. Not since that last attempt at a face that turned out looking nothing at all like a face. It horrified me when I finished it. I thought, "OH.MY.GOD. You call yourself an ARTIST?" This is one of the dangers of thinking yourself a Perfectionist. These days, that word makes my skin crawl.

What the hell is Perfection anyway???

People who know me well have called me things like "anal retentive" and "obsessive/compulsive" and "never satisfied". I'm a Neat Freak. I like things in their proper place. The scissors go in this drawer. The clothes go here. The bed must be made every day. The shower stall must be squeegeed and wiped down. The toothpaste cap must be put back on without a bunch of crud around the edges. 

Yes. I'm one of those.

Still, there has been a major shift in my so-called anal-retentive-obsessive-compulsive-neat freak world. That is: there's no room for that shit in Art. Some of the best pieces I've done thus far came from mistakes. I was trying to do one thing and ended up somewhere else. Rather than tossing it in the trash, I went with the flow. I allowed my Creative to play. I ignored that Perfectionist (who was, by the way, screaming like a crazy person!) and did it anyway. And the more I do this, the more my Art seems to rise up. I'm outdoing mySELF by not listening to that annoying Perfectionist.

BUT......

my house is still neat.

upside down

I love me some Magpies. Crows in tuxedos. Funny critters that LOVE to play. There's a gal on Facebook, who lives in Australia, who has a whole family of Magpies that live in her back yard. She's got an entire, fabulous playground for them and is very good about posting pics and videos of their antics. One such picture was of one of them hanging upside down from a slipper she has dangling off a clothesline. It's the perfect portrayal of their characters. Just LOVE those critters!

So...today, on a lark, I thought I'd give it a go. I decided on a stick instead of a slipper. Here is the initial sketch. I'm sharing just fer giggles. I will also post the actual piece once it's finished (on proper paper). For now, enJOY. And remember:

Joy is a CHOICE! (these critters get that BIG TIME!)

Carolina's Orchid

She is more than a friend. She is a sister to me. She has been even more (a sister) since my own passed away last year. Of course, no one can be replaced. But sometimes a "surrogate" can help ease us through the most horrible of moments. AND share the most beautiful ones.

Carolina is that sister.

I painted this for her a while back and asked her to take a photo after she'd hung it. This is the result of that request.

I couldn't be more pleased, or honored, or happy about her gorgeous choice of frames, and location, and the love she showered on me when she received the painting.

I'm sharing it to spread the Joy. And the Love. And the great Gratitude I feel for her and her friendship.

Life IS a grand and glorious adventure.

Don't you think?

Through My Friend's Eyes

I have a dear friend, a photographer who is a master with his camera. He travels all 'round the world, hunting. With a camera. He hunts for the beauty that we would otherwise not see were it not for his expeditions. His work is as remarkable as his heart. And because of him, I have my dream back. I told you about him in November (2014) when I spoke of The Colt and how he reached through the screen and grabbed my heart. The photograph that sits atop this Blog is also one of Ken's. It is a picture of The Colt with his family of Mustangs, out in the wild, doing what horses do. Be horses. Since meeting Ken, and receiving my copy of The Colt,  I have watched in wonder as my world has changed. These changes are, in large part, because of Ken Archer.

This piece is my gesture to him. To thank him for the beauty he brings to the world. For his friendship and his unyielding encouragement. It is a testament to the remarkable Human that is Ken Archer. (you can view his work HERE)

Happy, happy, PiggyFace

...just for YOU
to bring a smile
to remind you that
Joy is a
CHOICE.

Happy New Year!

{Original art by Camille Strate. Graphite and charcoal. 12.30.15. All rights reserved.}

Happy Trails....#2

I love trailers. My favorites are Airstreams; those silvery homes on wheels that seem to scream ROAD TRIP! So, after my first painting, I decided to do a series. There are so many options, you know? Not just with the trailers...but with the many places one could go in said trailer. This is a grand and gorgeous country, with countless options for stunning spots to see, explore, experience. Perhaps that is why I am so strongly drawn to trailers. Art has a way of transporting us...just as books do. We can travel the world without ever leaving the house. I call that GLORIOUS!

Teaser

{The following is an excerpt from my first book, "Whispers ~ The Often Subtle, Sometimes Rowdy Voice of Truth". As I am in the process of book #2, I thought it might be a great idea to share a little of book #1, just in case you'd like to read it before the next one comes out. If not, well, perhaps you'll enjoy this anyway. The purpose of this particular book was to inspire people to listen for the Whispers of their lives. The second book will follow suit, but be....well...different. Because isn't that the point? Anyway, I would dearly love your feedback on this post, if you are so inclined to take a minute. My thanks, in advance, for your thoughts. So then...without further ado...}

Whispers from a Dream ~~~

Dreams can be tricky business. I've been intrigued by them for a very long time...yet...still, they are very tricky business. I've read tons of books about dreams and what they mean and how to figure it all out...but I think, mostly, dreams are inside stuff. You won't find what you're looking for in a book. While they (books, that is) might give you some insight, all in all I think dreams are far too personal to 'figure out' from a book. That's my story and I'm stickin' to it.

I do happen to believe that you can get lots of answers from your dreams. I like to think of them as my very own direct line to the Cosmos. Some people use prayer. Others, meditation. I find dreams to be far more 'enlightening' than the rest. But that's me.

I bring this up now, as I near the end of this little book, because it seems to me it would be negligent not to. I mean, I've been going on and on about "Whispers"...and of all the many ways, and circumstances, and various life forms from which I've heard them. So how could I not include dreams? They have been among the most powerful of my Whispers, especially when I need answers to the really tough questions. 

{Aside ~ I'd like to mention here that I've heard lots of folks say that they either don't dream or they can't remember their dreams. To the former I say, "Oh yes you do." To the latter, "You can, if you practice." But I digress...}

I believe in magick and all things magickal. I believe that there are all kinds of spirits, both grand and small, that are right here, all around us, all the time. Those little glimpses of 'something' you catch out of the corner of your eye but then disappear when you try to look right at them? That's what I'm talking about. It's as if they're saying, "YO! Listen up! You can't use your human eyes to see any of this. You gotta use your other eyes. The ones that see beyond the veil. We'll keep hangin' around til you get it. No worries. We're not gonna bail on you."

The fact that I have such conversations may, again, lead you to believe that I've lost my pretty little mind. And, again, I assure you, I have not. It's just what I believe. And everyone is entitled to their beliefs, don't you think?

But my point is, whatever you happen to believe is exactly what will fuel you through your life. And those beliefs can be as empowering as they can (be) limiting. Without exception, it's the limiting beliefs that mess with us most. Those things that we picked up somewhere along the way, that weren't really ours to begin with, but after years of having them pounded into our brain, they just got stuck there. Then, we wander around for year on end, wondering why we're so miserable. Beliefs like that do not serve us. They hold us back from the life we intended before we got here.

{End of excerpt...for now. I might finish the rest of the chapter at a later date. I'm going to wait to see if anyone actually has a thought to share....so, we shall see!}

P.S. One more thing: if you DO wish to have your own copy of my darling little book, you can find it HERE: "Whispers" by Camille Olivia Strate

There Is No Try

One of my very favorite movie quotes is that of Yoda when young Luke was attempting to raise his soon-to-be-swallowed-by-the-swamp ship. Yoda was doing his Yoda best to get the boy to focus. And at some point, the young Skywalker said, "I'M TRYING!". To which wise Yoda replied, "Try, not. Do or do not. There is no try."

Never forgot that. Even though I wasn't a huge fan (I only saw the first two movies), I always loved that darlingYoda. He was, to me, the quintessential Yogi. (Gee. Ya think that's what George was thinking all along?) To me, Yoda was the absolute best of all of us. And, with or without his sword, he yielded a mighty power that, to this not-so-young-lass, still affects. I often hear his voice when I'm in a tight spot. It's a funny voice to hear, but there you have it.

What struck me most about that particular quote was that, like everything else Yoda said, its simplicity was indisputable. How can you argue with that kind of logic? I  mean, either you are going to do something or not. There really isn't any in between. You're either doing a thing or not doing it. You may be in the midst of that doing. You may be half way there. You may be struggling with it. Or not. But no matter what, you are either doing it or not. Just because you aren't finished doesn't mean you aren't doing it. See what I'm getting at here?

So then...what's all this about "trying" anyway?

Well, it occurred to me recently that for all the insanity that has been my Life for the past six years, the one thing that never changed was my unyielding determination regarding the end result. That is to say, I'd gotten both a diagnosis and a prognosis. Neither of which I accepted. I refused to believe what "they" said it was or how I would "end up" (in a wheelchair!) None of it made any sense to me. Nor did it feel right when I thought about it. Somewhere inside me I just knew that there was something off. At first I fought. Hard. Then I realized that I could negotiate with my own beliefs until I found a balance between what "they" were saying I should do and what I thought was right for me. Little by little I found that course corrections were going to be a part of this whole adventure. Rather than saying, "Well, I'm going to try to do this or that...", I just took each segment of the journey as it came. I wasn't trying, I was doing. I didn't realize when it all began that it would take me all the places it has. Nor did I realize that it would affect so much of who I am. It took a long while to see that the whole of the journey would be just that: a Journey. So rather than drive myself off the bridge, I just toodled along until I got the hang of it. Kinda like when you're learning how to ride a bike. Sure, you're going to crash every now and then. But before too long, you're cruising along as if you'd been riding your whole life. It's not about trying, it's about doing. Even if you're doing it badly.

Now, it may seem that there is a bit of ambiguity here (regarding the actual matter at hand) but I do this purposely. Because, as with most things, it is not about the subject matter, but rather about the attitude one has while experiencing whatever it is that one is facing. Whether you are facing a dis-ease or a financial challenge or a broken heart or the loss of a loved one or...any number of icky things we all face during our lifetimes. No matter. What matters, from onset to end, is that we realize we have choices...and we make them according to what feels best. Choosing to be terrified is your absolute option. As is laughing in the face of it. Or hiding 'neath the covers. Or drinking yourself into a stupor so as to avoid it altogether. We all have choices to make each and every day. It isn't about trying, it's about choosing. Choosing a Joyful path is one way to make things a bit less terrifying and a lot more fun. 'Course, that's a choice too. Either way, there is no try. Do or do not. 

Your choice.

A bit of clarification...?

So, in case you didn't know, I have TWO blogs. That is to say, two blogs that I "show". {the others are for my own personal rantings...and for the souls who need no eyes to see. Like all those "dead" ones I love and adore. but lest I digress...}...I have two blogs and sometimes I simply don't have two in me. So...every now and then I'll write on one and then copy/paste it to the other. Not sure why I do that or even if it makes any sense. But today I thought it might be good to just link this to that and see if I don't UP my readership. Either way, this one made me laugh when I re-read...and since I already posted some little blurb earlier today, you get to have double the fun.

Gee. Aren't you happy you came back?

So then...

It's entitled "The Boomerang Effect". But don't be mislead. I know I've already written something here entitled as such, but it is not the same thing...or idea...or even remotely close. So don't you dare roll your eyes!

P.S. Each link brings you to a different place. Go on....click.

turn, turn, turn

Ya know, it's pretty easy to fall into that great abyss...when everything seems to be so freakin' crazy and ya just don't know what to do. It's even easier to toss in the towel, say "screw it" and just stop trying. But why? Why would you do that? I mean, do you really think it'll make you feel better to curl up in a ball and die?

Well. I'm guessin' that sounds pretty dramatic...but truth is, there are times when I ask myself these questions...and I even ponder that towel. Not often, mind you. But there are times....And then...that leads me to wonder why it is that I'm so freakin' tenacious and unwilling to give up. What is it that makes me so resilient? So utterly optimistic when so much of my world is so NOT what it was. These are some pretty crazy times...and I'm beginning to understand why so many people threw themselves out of windows back during the Great Depression. People who were, to that point, on top of the world, opened their high-rise office window and just jumped. Before now, I never could imagine what would make someone so willing to quit. Now...I get it.

The good news is that I don't have a gazillion dollar business to lose. The other good news is that I happen to value Life far too much to ever do such a thing. I mean, COME ON. Is money REALLY that important that you'd kill your self for it? SHEEEESH.

The other day, while talking with a dear friend of mine about all this insanity, she said something that really (literally) made me stop and sit my little ass down in a chair. She said, "I am SO proud of you. You have every reason to be depressed and scared and ready to quit. But you don't go there. You NEVER go there. I just don't know how you do it. But I'm really proud of you for NOT."

Why does it matter what she, or anyone else, thinks about my fortitude? Why do I care that she's "proud" of me? Why in the world would such a thing even matter when it appears that NOTHING is happening to inspire me to continue on?

I'll tell you why. I say this ALL THE TIME...and I happen to believe it...

WE ALL HAVE CHOICES.

Choosing to be bummed out, or pissed off, or suicidal, are all CHOICES. The difference between those who grow and those who die is (in my opinion) all about tenacity. I mean...let's just say I chose to end it all...let's say that I finally reached some breaking point and said to my Self..."okay, Missy. You've done all you can. Why don't you just get it over with. Just think of all the people who won't have to 'worry' about you any more."

Are you kidding me??????? I have long believed that suicide is the ultimate in cowardice. I don't know why I feel that way, but I do. I think that people who take their lives are people who are just too scared to face another moment. Now, having said that, I also need to say that my "opinion" is not a judgment so much as it is an opinion. In other words, I don't condemn anyone for doing it. But I also don't think that anyone would commit such an act if they really knew how many people loved them. Because, while I do believe there is a "selfishness" that is productive, there is also another kind. The kind of selfishness that is so blind, so lacking in compassion, so utterly childish, that a person can forget. They forget that they MATTER. They forget that there ARE people who really love them. They forget that if they weren't here...their absence would affect soooooooooooo many people...that ripple affect. They simply get so self-absorbed that their perspective is lost.

I'm telling you this now because these thoughts have been flyin' through my brain at about 500 MPH for the last week and a half. And, without fail, every single time I think about such things, someone either shows up at my door, or sends me an email, or calls me...to let me know that I DO matter. I matter to them because I'm HERE. I matter to them because I inspire them...or I give them a reason to keep believing...or I make them laugh out loud when no one else can. Are these things I should dismiss just because I'm scared of being homeless? Are these people not important enough to keep me alive? Are these not lessons from which I shall build my own empire???????

I want you to know this:

No matter HOW awful things may seem...
No matter how much pain you're in right now...
No matter how scared you are..

YOU MATTER.
YOU MATTER.
YOU MATTER.

And
so do I.

vascillation ~

there's nothing like a little perspective to get you off your butt, ya know? 'specially when you think you're having a less than stellar day...and then, you hear someone else talk about theirs. yep. makes ya really aware of what you have...and you can see it with grateful eyes. good stuff.

it's not always easy. i know. sometimes, regardless of how hard i try, there's that icky black cloud following me around, threatening to drop hailstones on my head. big hailstones...like the kind that'll dent your car. scary stuff. but the thing is, when i remember that the cloud is there cuz i formed it, i can unform it just as quickly. if i want to, that is. back to the whole 'turn the other way' thang. perspective. perspective. perspective.

yesterday, i had this feeling, all day long, that my friend was not having a very good day. just a feeling in my gut. so, after a while, i called to see how she was doing. the moment i heard her voice, i knew my instincts were right on. (as usual). i also knew that she was trying real hard to NOT tell her 'sad story'...cuz we practice that sorta thing all the time. but in the end, she did...and i was so glad for it. cuz, by the time we hung up, she was feeling better and so was i. funny how that works. more and more i see that one of the best things to do when my day is kinda icky is to call someone else and offer up some sunshine for their day. ya know, it works every time. listening to someone else's stuff takes your mind off your own stuff and pretty soon you're both whoopin' it up and laughing at how silly you're (both) being. that ick? well, it's just an illusion anyway. just like the black cloud.

it's the moments in between...the vascillation...that makes ya crazy if you let it. sheeesh! it's not like we don't have the 'tools' to change our perspectives, or our attitudes, or our moods in general. cuz we do! all of us do. question is, how often do we use them when we need them most? cuz the way i figure it, it's pretty easy to be happy when everything is honky-dorey. it's when the poop hits the pavement that we think it's hard to be happy. but if ya boil it all down to THIS MOMENT...and you look around for just a minute...you can always find something to make you smile. something to be grateful for. something to make your heart do a little dance. if only you'd take that moment, ya know?

i'm pretty sure that all this crapola is temporary. i'm also pretty sure that soon, VERY soon, it'll all be a distant memory...something for me to remember (or not!) as a time when i was asked to look inside and see just how much i have...and how much i CAN...and how many options abound for me to live the best life ever. tell ya the truth....i am SOOOOOOOOOO looking forward to that (distant memory)! for now, though, i'm just gonna keep laughing about it. cuz the only other option is to cry. and what good would that do?

HAAAAAAAAAAAA!