Susan Cain: The Introverts Among Us

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#366/365 Paintings

Susan Cain. “Quiet” the power of introverts in a world that can’t stop talking

“Poets and philosophers have been thinking about introverts and extroverts since the dawn of recorded time. Both personalities appear in the Bible and in the writings of Greek and Roman physicians, and some evolutionary psychologists say that the history of these types reaches back even farther than that: the animal kingdom also boasts “introverts” and “extroverts,” and we’ll see from fruit flies to pumpkinseed fish to rhesus monkeys.
Yet today we make room for a remarkably narrow range of personality styles. We’re told that to be great is to be bold, to be happy is to be sociable. We see ourselves as a nation of extroverts—which means that we’ve lost sight of who we really are. Depending upon which study you consult, one third to one half of Americans are introverts—in other words one out of every two or three people you know. {…}
If these statistics surprise you, that’s probably because so many people pretend to be extroverts.
…………..
If you are wondering why I’m going over 365 to a total of 367, I’m making up for 2 sick days (I posted replacements so it adds up to 367 now).
On Monday you will get the final wrap up posts. A painting and a lead in to the reflections article. Ugh, change… I need some chocolate.

 

Nancy Froeschle: Edwin and Maudey

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#346/365 Paintings

An excerpt from Edwin and Maudey, a short film written by Nancy Froeschle.

MAUDEY
Would you do it all again?

Edwin smiles at her. Takes her hand in his and kisses it.
Both seem a little drowsy.

EDWIN
You bet your boots I would.

Maudey’s eyes tear up a little.

MAUDEY
I’m going to miss you. I’m going to
miss you, my sweetheart.

Edwin nods. All his love for his wife is contained in his
smile.

EDWIN
I’ve got you, Maudey – For always.

Sleepy, they both lean back in their rockers. Keep watch over
each other until their eyes close. Eventually the chairs stop
rocking.

…………………

Do you know how challenging it is to concentrate on art with tears? This is a seriously beautiful short film. When Nancy shared this script idea that soon after became a short film, I couldn’t get it out of my mind. And when I got a sneak preview I was even more deeply in the story. What a life, what a story, what an ending! Beautiful.

 

 

 

Katherine Anne Porter: Notes on Writing

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#339/365 Paintings

Katherine Anne Porter : NOTES ON WRITING

Berlin, December, 1931. From a letter to G.

… I can’t tell you what gives true intensity, but I know it when I find it, even in my own work—there perhaps first of all. It is not a matter of how you feel, at any one moment, certainly not at the moment of writing. Feeling is more than mood, it is a whole way of being, it is the nature you are born with, you cannot invent it. The question is, how to convey a sense of whatever is there, as a feeling, within you, to the reader;

………………………………………………….

I love the searching in her words. I love the sentence, “Feeling is more than mood, it is a whole way of being, it is the nature you are born with, you cannot invent it.”

She goes on to talk about the technical aspects of conveying ‘yourself’ to the reader. That it’s a matter of rapt attention and ability development. Again, I just love the struggle and search for how to get closer to her reader. The need in it.

 

 

Feather bed or Tightrope

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#338/365 Paintings

“Life is always a tightrope or a feather bed

Give me the tightrope.”

~ Edith Wharton

Gosh I dunno. Right now? It’s featherbed for me. I had a wonderful Thanksgiving. But all that food? Now I need to sleep it off. Featherbed please!

THIS PIECE JUST WON FIRST PLACE IN A QUOTES BY AUTHOR/ART CONTEST. YAY!

Lil’ Gymnast Critters

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#258/365 Paintings

I don’t know about you, but I’ve always dreamed of being a red rabbit superhero. Powerful enough to hop over water  in a single bound. Then to balance on a sea-pod while spotting a young fish on her first big jump who is balancing on seaweed. And look at the rest of the critters, simply enjoying the fun of watching their comrade learning her first tricks. It’s a great day when it’s the other gal!

 

Sometimes a Great Box

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#257/365 Paintings

This weekend I moved into a lovely home with an art studio that I could easily eat, sleep, work in—it’s that inspiring! My feet have no feeling. They passed the stinging phase yesterday. My hands are hot pink and swollen and don’t really work anymore. When hands don’t work anymore, they make super unpredictable art. I think she’s half human and half work-mule. Boxes galore and look at that sweet house with the ‘kind of’ blue door.

Ice cream tastes super good right now.

Happy monday!