One foot in front of the other ...

Awe-Manac Stuff

Name Today:  Swept Away

Today I get to:  Explore and live dangerously with Laura

Toast of the Day:  "Here's to taking one more step"
(Pic by Laura love and processed by me)

Today was our first Creative Saturday of the year together, and as always, fun and laughter overflows ☺. Our planning was limited to breakfast at I-Hop and our customary trip to the bookstore.

Everything else, we left to our respective whims ... and look where it led us:

Fort Lauderdale Beach:

We were greeted by this super loving, super cat-nappable cat named Kiwi

And stumbled upon this cool, dressed up manatee mailbox.

Taking a moment for our duo self portraits ☺

This intriguing neighborhood even had a colorful, designer wall.

Laura got this shot of me while we were trespassing on private property.  My curiosity led me to the second floor ... while her concerns of getting caught had her seeking an exit (only to wind up in the backyard of parallel property, lol).

While trespassing, Laura and I came across this interesting "art set-up"

A fitting find for our day ☺

I wonder how long they have known each other ...

This was such a magical moment to witness ...

Molly just couldn't wait to love on us.

We saw so many people running with their dogs.

Downtown Fort Lauderdale / Las Olas:

This was just SO Lita, lol ;)

Thirsty Ducklings

Appreciating nature's reflections.

More dog cuteness!

This bake shop had the coolest, decorated cakes I'd ever seen.  (Hey, Laura, I forgot to get my other chocolate chip cookie, lol ;P )

Mmmm!  This was a fun scene to get.  We were getting cooperation, plus the seductive scent of the  warm bread was making us so hungry.

A shot of our meals (and of Laura with her camera) while we dined at a French restaurant

We spotted this chocolate specialty shop on our way out.

This had us giggling, being the chocolate addicts we are ;P ! 

Crazy acronyms for "Compassion"

Name Today: Horizon

Today I get to: Go over a handwritten agreement ☺

Toast of the Day: "Here's to having a friend you can be goofy with."
(Erica feigning to push me out of our office window, 10 stories high)

Aha-phrodisiac:

Use the word "compassion" to write an acronym ...

This is what Tammy and I quickly scribbled down during kava tonight ... ;P :

Tammy:

Curing
Of
Multiple
People
Assimilating
Suffering
Sadness
Injury
Obviously
Neurotic

Me:

Calling
On
Much
Patience
And
Strength
So
I
Overcome
Nonsense

Question for Self: What's one small way I can be compassionate with myself today?

Saying "I'll pass" to worries.

♥

"Romance is the glamour which turns the dust of everyday life into a golden haze." ~Amanda Cross

Name today:  Matching socks

Aha-phrodisiac:

What would accordian music look like if you could doodle, collage, or paint it?

Like this ☺:



... I had plans for so much more, but ah, who has the time?!  Will not be home tonight, so I prepared this in advance to upload first thing.

Much lo♥e and blessings!

You can't wait for inspiration. You have to go after it with a club. ~ Jack London

Awe-Manac for January 12:

Of note:  It's National Soup Month

Happy Birthday to:  John Singer Sargent, 1856, portrait and landscape painter

Today I get to:  Hustle, and then some ...

Dose of Mirth:  "A portrait is a painting with something wrong with the mouth." ~ John Singer Sargent



I did my best to make something "wrong with the mouth," as I deviated so far from what her mouth originally looked like ... Her overall beauty simply enhanced her new, "wrong" mouth ;P

So much more to accomplish before slumber time, so I've gotta' keep this short.

♥

"You can't tell how deep a puddle is until you step in it." ~ Unknown

Name today:  Pleasantries

Today I get to:  Write letters to loved ones and send them out snail mail.

Aha-phrodisiac:

"Every path has its puddle."

Write a piece that has "puddle" and a bunch of other "p" words in it.

On the way to Publix to pick up items in the produce section, including papayas, pineapples and pears, we passed an old poster of Prince in his prime and pondered what he was doing now. Pam then pleaded we take the private road to pass by her boyfriend's place, who I find to be a pompous prick with a pugnacious disposition.  But then we got sidetracked by a sign in the form of a printed paw pointing the way to what looked like a palace. As we pulled in and parked next to the Porsche, we saw the entire area packed with people.

Neither of us prudent and both prone to prowl for pleasure, we proceeded toward what appeared to be a phenomenal party, but we had to make sure we primped to look our prettiest. A quick perusal of my reflection revealed perfectly plump and pouty lips. We overstepped puddles and tried to blend in and pretend we were on the invite list. We passed a person wearing polka-dotted pants and a pink and purple blouse.

We then overheard a poor wretch preaching of the end and someone else postulating pathetic platitudes. Behind the palms, we saw guys peering into windows, which initially made me think they were Peeping Toms. Around the patio, a pimply-faced pubescent was pissing openly.

Another person was walking what was obviously a very pampered pooch, resembling a Pekinese.

As we got closer, we were partially pummeled with a waft of perfumed air, pleasantly smelling of plumeria. As we entered the foyer, we were met by a greeting party, providing each of us with plastic-wrapped packages and a light peck.

We both paused when we heard a harmonious song being played on the pristine piano which laid atop a patterned Persian carpet.

We eached grabbed a paper plate to fill it with a piece of pumpkin pie, pretzels, popcorn and potato chips. I took the pitcher and poured my friend the last of the punch. One of the guests must've been a physician, as I was able to make out among a cacaphony of sounds, his muffled murmur of pills he could prescribe.

It was then that Pam painfully pinched me to get my attention of the pipe that was being pushed into her palms, as she was deemed next in line to puff.

Moments later, we heard a loud pop and realized someone named Phil packed a power punch at a pimp named Peter who was trying to pick up his playmate of a girlfriend to recruit her as a prostitute and to have her perform pornography.

Flashes of light were coming from all directions, as if we were surrounded by the paparazzi. As soon as we heard the police sirens, we prodded each other into promptly taking our leave.

We called our parents trying not to sound panic-stricken and phony as we tried to paint a more prosaic picture of the reason for our delay.

LOL!  When I read today's exercise, I was totally going to pass, as it didn't excite me enough to want to do it ... I changed my mind at the last minute, feeling the need to stretch my creative stamina.  So this was the best I could whip up at the last second, for both the picture and the "P" -filled story ;P   I'm glad I did it, as it was SO much fun once I got into the groove, but it did have me up WAY past my bedtime!

♥

Maggie Mae

Name Today:  Good measure

Today, I get to:  Eat more chocolate (It's Bittersweet Chocolate Day! ☺)

Aha-phrodisiacs:

In honor of Rod Stewart's birthday, write what happened to Maggie Mae.

This image is my artistic depiction of Maggie Mae.

Maggie Mae is the opposite of a small town woman, as she travels often, in search of adventures beyond anyone's backyard. Her best friend and rock is Ramone, a baker who always has her favorite dessert on standby.  She usually sleeps in until 11:30 am, when her cat, Mustache, decides to gently bat at her face for treats.  She constantly misplaces her personal effects, which is why she can't keep a pair of anything, be it earrings, socks, or shoes.  Her favorite sound is of clanging dishes which remind her of childhood comforts.  She could easily live off of bread, exquisite cheeses, tiramisu and fine wine.  Although her wardrobe is starkly black, she drools over colors of all hues and shades.  She speaks 3 languages fluently, but has trouble pronouncing simple words like cinnamon.  To her, fresh breath is everything, so she makes a point of keeping a spearmint plant on hand.

She:  thinks psychics are for sissys; is a pro at dominos; and has an interest in watching underground sports.  She's currently exploring Africa, and has befriended an elephant named Hotuk.

She requested I refrain from disclosing anything incriminating, of which I assured her I would.

As a side note, the above image of Maggie Mae underwent a lot of transformation.  I intended her to be an image onto herself, but a backdrop insisted on coming into play ... As is usual when creativity is afoot, all components came together organically "on their own," including her story ... I was simply the tool by which creativity flowed ... Ahhh to that rush  ♥

And with an entire weekend left to my own devices, I visited a bookstore and got my message on Page 56 ( sorry, Laura -- I was too impatient to wait ;) ).  It was from Miss Tallulah Bankhead who said "Whatever you do, it has to be done with authority.  Then everyone will believe you."  Hmmmm? Which just begs the question, how does anyone do anything with authority?  What does that mean? lol =)

As is

Name today: Spaghetti

Aha-phrodisiacs:

For Dotty Day, use dots as a trigger for your art.  Make large dots and fill them in with favorite quotes or see how adding dots can add interest or whimsy to a piece or a collage. 

A Dose of Mirth:  "A line is a dot that went for a walk." ~ Paul Klee

While working on the "dotty" image above, I was watching an old Star Trek episode where they took shore leave on this planet and everything they thought about instantly manifested.  It made me think of today's "Law of Attraction" philosophy.

Personal reflection

Referring to an old adage, "What we resist persists." and reading "When you simply look at a situation, see it as it is, and stop wishing it were different, the situation loses its dominating power over you."

In keeping with that, I accept my life just as it is: perfectly imperfect; driven to create only when the impulse and time allows; accepting that what results simply is and move on.