Sue ....a poem that heals

http://suewidemark.com/music.htm visit this site and listen to the music she provides there. It heals, the mind, the body, and the soul.


SUE...

Sue is such a blessing
in my life right now.
She is the medicine
I needed somehow.

When my spirits sank low,
She’s faith healer, know!

She speaks my language
Music played on page.

Truth is, I am OK,
For Sue helped light the way.

FOR ART’S SAKE!

 FOR ART’S SAKE! GIVE YOUR ART A LIFE, LET IT LIVE.

 Don’t be litigious! What is a copyright infringement and what is not, be able to discern the difference. Protecting your intellectual property rights is important, but publicity can sometimes be good or better for your career than money, below are several pointers to keep in mind about your art and the life and freedom it deserves to be enjoyed by others.


**In general, allow your art be publicized as much as possible. The more people who see it, the better your chances are for making sales. As with any other product, the higher your name recognition, the more art you tend to sell.


** The earlier you are in your career, the more inclined you should be to let other people reproduce your art at no charge assuming, of course, that they're not using it to make money. For example, if a non-profit organization asks you to provide, at no charge, a cover illustration for their brochure, you should probably give permission, and note it in your resume. If, however, a greeting card company wants to use your art on a line of cards, only give permission if they pay you.


** In certain cases where your art is being used for commercial purposes and you stand to receive a large amount of publicity or exposure, but are offered no money, consider waiving fees that you might ordinarily charge.


** When the reason for the use of your art is to draw attention to you and your accomplishments as an artist, and not to line the pockets of the parties doing the reproducing, be thankful you are admired and thought important enough be the subject of attention.


** Be supportive of the educational uses of your art, uses respecting and crediting you as the artist. It is beneficially contributing to help improve the skills, appreciation, and knowledge of others who may one day become patron of the arts or artists their selves. You and your art are valuable to the humanities and may become treasures of posterity.


** Make sure you always receive proper credit for any use of your art. Whenever possible, have the users provide contact information along with your name. This way, anyone interested in owning your art can easily get in touch with you.


** Art exhibited in an art show open to the public is meant to be seen and experienced. Viewers should be allowed to take photographs of art in a show in order to preserve their memories, to sharpen their perception and appreciation of you and your art in the show. Be understanding.

What is Intrepretative Art?

There are new buzz words in every discipline of study or profession that appear, become vogue, then die out, old and archaic anachronisms of language. Part of learning something new is learning its ever changing language.

The word “interpretative” appeals to me because it can be used broadly meaning interpretation of some subject to others by an interpreter. I happened upon the term when I was trying to figure out what my photographic collage of the Maricopa Animal Care and Control West Side Shelter was art wise if art at all. The word “interpretative floated to my mind and then I checked on the Internet and found out my intuition was correct and that I wanted to learn more about interpretative art today.

In an increasingly global culture, the emphasis is on communication. When so many people around the world speak different languages, the interpreter is all important having skills in translating one language to another. Art knows no language barriers. It is easily understood why interpretative art will ease the transition of diverse peoples of unlike cultures and origins coming together productively and peacefully.

What is Interpretative Art ....??

I believe it to be the reciprocal merging of traditional academic disciplines in such a way as to inspire and include art and artistic creative expression to motivate and educate others enhancing written text with visual imagery minimizing the words needed while increasing the positive experience of learning....

An example is the book below... (http://www.cr.nps.gov/seac/ancientmuses/theme.htm) and its synopsis which via its context defines interpretative art uses.

Ancient Muses:Archeology and the Arts

Edited by John H. Jameson, Jr., John E. Ehrenhard, and Christine A. Finn
Published by the University of Alabama Press

The practice of archaeology, as well as archaeologically derived information and objects, can inspire a wide variety of artistic expressions ranging from straightforward computer-generated reconstructions and traditional artists' conceptions to other art forms such as poetry, opera, and storytelling. Although some level of conjecture will always be present in these works, they are often no less conjectural than technical interpretations and have the benefit of providing visual and conceptual imagery that can communicate contexts and settings in compelling and unique ways. These cognitive connections between archaeology and art reflect an inductive approach in defining and explaining the resource and making it more meaningful to the public. An emphasis on artistic interpretations and narrative is consistent with a new direction in archaeological practice that challenges the positivist paradigm of processual archaeology, promotes the relevance and validity of deductive reasoning over inductive reasoning, and represents a fundamental change in how archaeologists plan and conduct research and evaluate significance.

This book examines a variety of examples of this new approach as it applies to more meaningful and effective approaches to interpretation that emphasize public awareness, access, and inspiration. The book includes case studies where archaeology has inspired artistic expression, and where interpretive art is used to inspire and educate the public.
June 2003

288 pages, 50 illustrations
6 1/8" x 9 1/4"
ISBN 0-8173-1274-9 - $29.95s paper
ISBN 0-8173-1273-0 - $60.00s unjacketed cloth
Order: U AL Press Distribution Center: (800) 621-2736
http://www.uapress.ua.edu/NewSearch2.cfm?id=132516

The Grammar of Art...

Great and valuable timeless art is an invaluable assist to persons in that they stimulate us to introspection, reflection, and better understanding of subject displayed either directly or abstractly, representatively, or indirectly.....

I can not imagine a full and complete person or one seeking wholeness not appreciating the value art brings to our human species globally. It is also a language that knows no language barriers provided the person is not visually handicapped either by sight or by a cognitive process inhibiting condition.

Top landscape painter, Clyde Aspevig, believes that details should be last on an artist’s checklist: “By subordinating details, creating abstractions, and employing unusual compositions or techniques, we can create more knowledge gaps. These little questions or mysteries pull the viewer into further analysis.”

Why Does God Allow Suffering In The World?

Suffer the Little Children to Come Unto Me Or, Of Such is the Kingdom of Heaven


"And they brought young children to Him, that He should touch them: and His disciples rebuked those that brought them. But when Jesus saw it, He was much displeased, and said unto them, Suffer the little children to come unto Me, and forbid them not: for of such is the kingdom of God" (Mark 10:13-14).

http://ymmartin.com/2011-03-27-StFrancisXavierMass/ Web Page Photos.

Suffer and suffering appear often in the bible.




The earth is an environment that is balanced within and without, populated with living creatures. When imbalances exist, nature always must return, establish new balance. The world is just one gigantic set of systemic scales.


Man has been granted free will of choice which creates variables of his own making a world counterbalanced by other men and the environment, within and without. It is nature with its random variables and constants, its physical laws that are challenged by man and then in return challenge man.


The world and men in it are given dynamic motion and events which must not be predictable, can not be programmable, or should not be controlled other wise it would not be a suitable environment to develop the individual soul of man and his unique comprehension of his universe, his physical realm.


The world is defined to elude man’s limits of comprehension. As soon as he is satisfied he knows, he finds out he doesn’t know at all, and he is reminded that he is not God after all. After experiencing the physical realm, the spiritual realm reigns supreme for the souls that survive the suffering of life to know God and be one with him.


Suffering occurs as a result of life interactions, of opposing forces that must be free to engage randomly and variably, and not be controlled otherwise man would have no real choice to determine his destiny and develop his soul. Soldiers in military are trained using live fire, and so too, God trains living creatures with real situations that have varying circumstances randomly occurring.


Suffering in the world is the casualty losses resulting from uncertainty, uncontrollable variables that must and do exist just as variables exist in man's scientific mathematical formulas developed for generalized uses. The physical world is merely one huge mathematical formula having discretely defined randoms in it for reason, rhythm, and rhyme (rime). (Rime ... Meteorology)

God does not dish out suffering. Why suffering? One might as well ask why life at all?

There are those in life who have never suffered or at least not to a substantial degree. I wouldn’t call having a broken fingernail suffering or other such mishaps. I think that I have suffered and know others who also have suffered, but few of us have suffered to the extent that others in the world suffer mercilessly at the hands of a dictator or other misfortunes of life, or the way that soldiers suffer in battle or at the hands of their captors and die so that we can enjoy our way of life. A car pulled up in front of my home yesterday while I was “suffering” trimming the freeze damaged bushes and the man that got out was headed for the ball game across the road. His bumper sticker said “You can thank a vet for being able to enjoy your freedom”.

Suffer is a concept in need of defining it to the degree and limit you are concerned at discussing it. What is the magnitude of suffering or the scope of it? It really doesn’t matter since we all have different thresholds of pain and perception. A hangnail for some is a nail through the hand for others. What is important is how we respond to suffering that we can not avoid or escape. Fortunately, the body has various mechanisms to cope with suffering, death being the ultimate one.

Crucifixion would be the extreme example of suffering. Jesus' words from the cross, asking forgiveness for those who put him to death. More widely, of course, the plea was for all humanity. Jesus knew before hand his fate. He did not seek sympathy or rescue because he understood the nature of suffering and did not question why. We come now to one of the most poignant and important moments in Jesus’ ministry--his prayer in the Garden of Gethsemane, which immediately precedes his arrest. “My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from me . . .” Jesus is amazingly candid in expressing his fears to God. He protests, “I don’t want to do this” and he cries loudly as he protests (Heb. 5:7).

There are times in life when we must do what we do not want to do and what we fear to do even though much suffering and pain may be the consequence, but which we are ordered to do either by our moral conscience or higher authority. The life of a martyr, the bravery of firemen, the commander of an army, the future and the past is human history which is our present preparedness for the moment we might be called to serve or be served up for a cause.

It is wise to avoid risk taking that could have suffering as a consequence for self or others, and so some suffering in the world is a consequence of man's unwise choices. Man must learn from his mistakes and do better risk management. When people build houses on high risk earthquake fault lines do they not realize the risk and fate they are courting? When nuclear plants are built, do they not realize that nothing is fail safe? When hurricanes and floods destroy homes and lives, do victims not understand their vulnerability to the forces of nature?

Do you fear suffering? If you do, that is normal just as we all have a natural fear of death, the unknown. You can train a sheep to go to slaughter, but you could never educate one to so act.

Civilized society and governments are ethically and spiritually educated, trained, and expertly experienced to minimize suffering to the extent possible to identify, control, and prevent the causes of it. For the men who with malice aforethought elect the evil choice, or those who don’t know the right choice, they need to seek the wise choice or have it sanctioned upon them, hence our military, police, and justice systems. 

We can not expect God to fight our wars for us. He gave us choice. He gave us life. He and he alone is beyond reproach. In God we trust for we must. If we have done all that we can do there is no alternative when there is nothing else to be done but trust in God.

What I write about suffering does not mean that God is indifferent to individual cases, but that because of the reality of the collective and the environment given to us, although he does care and is aware, he must not exempt the individual from consequences of their own choices or he must not separate individually from the collective in which the individual resides.

The Freedom of Choice granted by him to each and every soul mandates non-interference in the resulting outcome of those choices made individually, singlely, by others or in a collective community in which the individual exists. We are, if you would so think, on our own in this world that God created for us expecting us to be responsible, loving, and fully experiencing the environment partially if not totally of our own making.

The individual is accountable for his destiny regardless of what fate unfolds. It is not what we suffer or that we may suffer, but how we can prevent suffering and attenuate it wherever possible. If not possible to prevent suffering, then it is important in how we cope with it for ourselves or for others. It is not that we may have sinned, but that we learn to sin no more.

Consider the concept of guilt by association as in Pogrom. A pogrom (Russian: погром) is a form of violent riot, a mob attack, either approved or condoned by government or military authorities, directed against a particular group, whether ethnic, religious, or other, and characterized by killings and destruction of their homes and properties, businesses, and religious centres. The term usually carries connotation of spontaneous hatred within the majority population against certain (usually ethnic) minorities, which they see as dangerous and harming the interests of majority. 

The term was originally used to denote extensive violence against Jews in the Russian Empire and a series of anti-German pogroms in Russia in 1915. Pogroms often affect members of middlemen minorities. This can, in extreme cases, result in total or partial genocide, such as that of Armenians or Jews.

God is not indifferent, but because we have Freedom of choice, we have destiny to be what we become via our choices individually and how we influence the collective in which we live. He must not interfere in any way with fate else our destiny would be meaningless and not of our own making in coping with it, admirably or not so admirably as the case may be.


If man destroys the world and all life in it, what God giveth, he does not take away, for God made man answerable, responsible, and accountable for his deeds in his life, and the keeping of his soul and salvation of it, individually and collectively.

The phrase "God help us" is oft said and is an appropriate end, but with this one last thought from Mary Baker Eddy, the Discoverer and Founder of Christian Science, gave this encouraging statement: “My faith in God and in His followers rests in the fact that He is infinite good, and that He gives His followers opportunity to use their hidden virtues, to put into practice the power which lies concealed in the calm and which storms awaken to vigor and to victory” (The First Church of Christ, Scientist, and Miscellany, p. 204).

Programming an Art?

Programming computers is similar to other styles of traditional writing having primary intent to communicate to humans, but the added difference is that in programming, there is also an intent to control as well as to communicate, to provide an user friendly interface that intelligently extends, augments, and empowers the user to participate in the control over the machine and its computer computational, communicational functioning to produce a desired outcome (and hopefully a correct one) with minimum inaccuracy, confusion, or complexities. Programs should be fault tolerant and even assume the user might be faulty in their use of the interface.

A computer program is so much more than mere rote coding. It has intelligent design and effective implementation. Creating and developing a program is creating new living and ever improving entities with forms, features, and functions, thinking out loud and assimilating corrective feedback while projecting a future that pragmatically pleases and fulfills the program's environmental purpose in life. 

A work of art program is like a person, it's compatible, modifiable, and performs productively, positively, the entire duration of its presence in its host system. It consumes a minimum of resources while processing its inputs producing outputs for others.

(Yo, I'm kind of with you on this one. I never found programming to be something to be done "without thinking about it". Code in itself, well written, well designed and elegantly done, can be an art. Sure there are things which tend to be the same like the typical "file management system" for a flat file - those things I wrote a generator for but I found most programming to be very thought intensive. Of course, I was a systems designer on a PC environment type thing but that being said, I enjoyed IBM assembler and COBOL equally well.... (Sue Widemark http://healthread.net)

Finding Fault

There are the doers, the complainers, and all shades in between to cope with in life.

Do not walk behind me,
for I may not lead.

Do not walk ahead of me,
for I may not follow.

Do not walk beside me
for the path is narrow.

In fact,
find your own way.

Just be and
let me be.

Waste not time,
faulting me.

You be you,
I'll be me.

If its not art, what is it?

When artists conceive and give “birth” to their work of art (regardless of the media used), the work does assume and manifest a life of its own, and the artist interactively, with resonance, becomes the medium “whelping” in labor brings the work of art into this weird world of ours (populated with humans).

One wonders about the integrity of that life, when the creator later goes back to alter the original, even paint over it, throw it away, or even worse, someone else does. Perhaps the “medical care” of the art work requires its preservation restoration, and the alteration does not sacrifice the value of the art as originally intended.

An arti-vice is the counterfeit and forgery of art as well as the copying of valuable originals with evil intent or greedy theft in mind. To copy the masters is a learning exercise, and that activity should be allowed and encouraged so that the student may better understand and appreciate the masters and the degree of difficulty involved, but to copy with intent to deceive or cheat would be the same as avoiding the discipline of studying, working exercises, and actually circumventing learning lessons thereby cheating via various shortcuts and on the exam and review falsely earning a passing rather than what should be a failing grade.

My Father taught me drawing when I was in elementary school first having me trace over works of art of all kinds and then I used other aids to learn perspective. Sadly, so much time has passed, and I have not retained all that my Father lovingly tried to teach me.

 Much of what I have dutifully studied and learned is now integrated and has lost its recall specifics, no longer recognizable, now appearing that I do not even know the basics. Perhaps it is that those “basics” were meant only to be stepping stones to what I am truly supposed to know and do now at this stage in my life believing beauty and truth are how we feel within and value those virtues, the art and the artist becoming one.

I am trying to understand why the photography art print below was withdrawn from the veterinarian art show and yet I realize it is not “fine art”, it may not even be art, but what is it? I did create something. What did I create?

There is no art so bad as to be impossible to learn something from it so that the next attempt will improve and be better. It came to my mind that this montage was in the genre of "interpretive art". The mission of interpretive art is to expand the awareness of issues affecting underserved communities.

Via cross-disciplinary art activities, medias, and interactions with real life scenarios in the world around him, an artist expresses and creates art that reflects communication messages dedicated to improving social problems. Interpretative art uses its time and space to explore cultural and political issues most relevant to their artist communities and lives. Interpretative art serves as a communication bridge for improving the health, education, and social justice issues of the underserved, underprivileged classes.

Art at one time meant communication. When entering this piece that was juried and accepted and then not hung without explanation, I realized it departed from the other entries in the show. A framed work that was finished to be hung in the show now sits as a passenger in my Toyota pickup truck, and I am perplexed what I should do with it? Maybe it was art that was meant just for me to ponder its “birth”?... and also wonder what to do if not never to allow such “art” to be reproduced or even seen, and yet what often passes as art is not art at all but simply a problem statement requiring a solution.

I felt the refusal to hang this photo montage that was accepted by the show jurors was a slap and insult in the face, unabashed, to my joy and happiness after first being notified by the jury selection committee that both of my entries had been accepted into the show. I am not upset about the poorly performing second class photography entry.  It is the contradictory actions of accepting an entry then refusing to hang it that bothers me.

This montage had been entered only as a secondary spurious after thought, and at the last moment before the cut off of accepting entries expired.  It was submitted as an experiment in my mind actually to see what would result with it.

I do agree that this specific art entry was a great departure from the la la other paintings in the show. I realize also those in charge of setting up and hosting the show wanted to entertain and impress with guests and the art community with “fine art”, but my reasoning in entering the montage was that the show needed an entry that truly showed how people interact with their pets and the Maricopa Animal Care and Control Shelter with its many strays and throw aways being put to death. That message deserved its historical place because of its truth.  Truth is unwanted many times just like the strays that end up in MCACC.

In terms of numbers of animals and numbers of people circulating in, for, and around MCACC it represented the animal/people bond more than the many pure animal portraiture depicting no animal/people bond whatsoever and one of which (the bull's face portraiture) won first place.

If it is a show about 250th Anniversary of Veterinarian Medicine and service to people, consider then that all these years have gone by and still many people do not responsibly take care of their pets nor their selves. Veterinarian medicine has yet to create and prescribe an effective treatment for that condition.

The jurors accepted the entry and notified me it was in the show, but someone powerful enough in the show refused to hang it.

Oh well, now what do I do with it? As I said it is riding around with me in my Toyota as a passenger. Perhaps if an explanation would have been forthcoming as reasonably due, then truth and the “art” of the show would not be as “palette-able” or “palatable” as it might want to be. I wonder.

This photo work is more than montage judged fine art, it is a problem statement ongoing and moving along with me on the road. For now, I don’t know what else to do with it. So I just will think about it until I or someone else can resolve the questions that surround it.

*****
I now understand why that photographic montage was not hung, but I do not understand why the jurors accepted it into the show if they were not going to hang it.

I now know that the montage is visually disturbing. That is the problem. It is a problem statement that no wants to see because it tells too much about the viewer's being either a part of the problem or a part of the solution and no in between fence sitting. In my mind, it also looks a lot like the Arizona Department of Corrections with its many inmates behind bars many who are people strays just like the canines in the MCACC are being bars. That photographic montage frightens me and perhaps that is what others see also when they look at it. The Haul-Low-Cost of man's
inhumanity to man and cruelty to animals in his care and keeping. Try to not get hung up in that fact soley, for time would be better spent teaching color names to the blind.

Worry is a misuse of the imagination so I will not worry that someone may dislike me. I am art in that respect, and an art that requires a vision that most do not have nor will they ever acquire in this life.

I am an artist because I now choose to be, having aptitude, altitude, and attitude, plus ability acquired via education, training, and experience. I need no one to declare what I am if I know who I am and what I want to do with my life. Beauty and truth are how we feel within and value those virtues, the art and the artist becoming one.

I hope that you would seek to be an artist too in this life, be a work of art that would be amazing beauty and truth through and through. You can be more than you are, better than you were, and impress yourself with inner truths that can never be disparaged by me or anyone else.

Be, ...
Be.!!
Do not content yourself
with what you are,
be more than you are,
positively!

Tradition

Boiled corned beef and cabbage is cooking in my kitchen this morning.

I love Reuben sandwiches;
the cooled and thinly sliced corned beef
judiciously sassed with sauerkraut,
sauced with thousand island dressing,
and assisted by holey Swiss cheese,
heartily hugged together,
embraced both top and bottom,
by two very intelligentsia Russian ryes,
being hotly grilled,
convincing the captive Swiss cheese
to totally melt down and rye,
confessing their secrets
so tastefully toasted.

Enjoy with dill pickles picking the side of your choice.

A Reuben from heaven, truly ready to sensate gratify your body, mind, and soul.

About Proselytizing.

About proselytizing, I don’t believe I have ever written or focused on any biblical scriptures to the exclusion of each individual living one’s life as they freely choose, exercising the choice God's word via the Bible allegedly provided man .

The bible’s many parables, psalms, and past preachings are motivations to encourage us to be morally good, to provide and give us strength to endure whatever life and death create in our environment.

I Believe

My belief is that
We reap what we sow,
We think and we grow,
We live and we learn.

When time, a new turn,
Life ends, does adjourn.
Know time to move on,
To journey beyond.

The words of Jesus Christ Superstar have come down through the ages through many scholarly minds who may have had their own agendas and beliefs.

I respect the bible, but respect the right and worth of an individual’s beliefs more. The stories of the bible are “social stories of the past” (literary art) created to promote social harmony and peace to conform a diverse people for their own good from an uncivilized state.

I feel I know Jesus personally, but do not expect him to be my “savior” as that would be denying me the duty and expectation of others that I be responsible for my own choices and suffering or enjoying their consequences.

How can one explain the Bible divided against itself, i.e., the Old Testament versus the New Testament with the Jewish and the Christians now in opposite camps and schools?

I believe,
but I reserve the right
to believe freely,
to not be a victim of
conditioned conformity,
contradictory confusions,
captive creating cultures,
and chaotic consequences.

250th Anniversary Veterinarian Medicine Art Show entries web links to view paintings and their information.

(my entry is titled "Happy To See You", a digital art photo based hybrid photography/digital painting media termed "paintography")

Subject: 250 th Veterinarian Art Show, March 3-April 3, 2011 Artists Competition Entries (246 images, painting with info card of title, artist name, media, price)

 

It was a challenge to see if I could write an art critique review.  I did try. The link(s) are for those interested in seeing the paintings entered and a review of the show and its First Place Winner.

First Place Award Winner, Beth Hyatt-Rapp, at the Arizona Art Alliance 250th Anniversary Veterinarian Medicine Art Show and Sale, Arizona Art Alliance Gallery,  exhibiting 122 Art Competition  through April 3rd, 2011.

****************************************************

Please click on the following link to read a critique review of the 250th Vet Art Show ..

http://ymmartin.com/TheFirstPlaceWinnerOfThe2011.pdf

******************************

The uploaded Vet Art Show movie video is now on YouTube.  It is 8 minutes and you can view it at this link

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VuFiZNfdaWg
or click the play in the center of the graphic.

****************************

http://ymmartin.com/2011-03-04-VetArtShow/

The Web Site Link given above displays photos and info cards of all the Artists Competition Entries  of the 250 Anniversary Veterinarian Art Show now showing and for sale in the Arizona Art Alliance Gallery, 9011 East Indian Bend Road, Scottsdale, Arizona from March 3-April 3, 2011.  60 Artists and 122 Art Works are photo documented on the web page above.  You click on the photo of interest and the larger version will then appear.  Use the browser go back arrow to return to the main index page showing all the entries.

Using the photos of the Gallery Paintings, I have created a Picasa movie video and uploaded it to YouTube to be viewed worldwide by the public, or friends and family of the Artists participating in the show.   It is 8 minutes and you can view it at this link

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VuFiZNfdaWg

This is one of the best art shows I have been honored to participate and also to photograph preserve for ease of viewing and remembering.

Yolanda Martin

http://ymmartin.com

aka http://computercanvascreations.com

Member Phoenix Artist Guild

Member Arizona Artist Guild

Why Suffering in the World?

The theory is, if there is evil, there may be a God - but we have to give up on His Omni-benevolence.

God is like an artist - His Canvas - all of space and all of time. What's He making? He's making something beautiful. Beautiful art always involves a play between dark and light, light and shadow.

 God therefore permits evil. He does not cause evil because evil is a lack of something (like a toothache is a lack of health in the tooth).

But He permits evil so as to bring about a greater good - so as to produce in a way that we cannot see clearly, a more beautiful canvas, a more beautiful sculpture or a beautiful novel or a beautiful painting.

At the end of time, we will see all of Creation like a great book but in the course of this life, we maybe see one paragraph - one tiny part of the whole story. That's why the world so often, as we experience it, doesn't make sense.

Like Job who complains he doesn't deserve this suffering. God takes him on a tour of the cosmos and asks him over and over "Job, where were you when I created this?"

via Fr Robert Baron and SueWidemark (http://healthread.net/)

A Spiritual Event

I wrote to Robert Genn, an author/artist I know, respect and admire,  requesting his permission to print the letter you will see below my request as follows..

Dear Robert,

I would like permission to copy/print some of the letter today about Sedona, Arizona and what Art is (your perspective) along with a link in case others want to subscribe to your letters ... I would include it on my http://ymmartin.blogspot.com/ as a standalone blog entry titled Robert Genn Writes....

You may remember me, Yolanda Martin, (I wrote and was selected by you in past years as a Finalist by you for inclusion of my article in your new book. My article exists for reference at http://ymmartin.com/ARTicles.html#Article5 “Define Art ....In Search of The Meaning of Art”. Obviously with all the valuable input you received from other artists and authors, and continued thinking on the subject of art and its meaning, you are more of an recognized authority on the subject which interests us both.

I so much enjoy your letters.

For me, art is not for making a living, bur for making living worth while.

Quietly I think of you today.
Silence is golden we think, we say.
Perhaps alone with our thoughts,
Maybe feeling with our hearts,
All the memories of yesterday.
***************************

Be all you can be.
Be better than I am.
The Best is yet to be.
*************
For some,
Art is for making a living...
For others,
Art is for making living worth while.
For everyone,
Art is what brings us together.

Yolanda Martin
*********************************

Dear Yolanda,

I'm walking a labyrinth in Sedona, Arizona. I'm repeating the words, "My higher self is guiding me." As well as thinking of something else, I'm wondering if there's "something else."

Sedona is one of those spiritual hot spots where visitors come for all sorts of body work, yoga, self-improvement, or guru-inspired transformation. In the USA, this kind of stuff is a $10 billion-a-year industry. Sedona is also the place where three fine folks allowed themselves to be cooked to death in a spiritual sauna at the end of a labyrinth. This was at the urging of the now bankrupt and criminally implicated guru James Arthur Ray. If only those folks had been aware of the life-centering force and personal power one gets from the harmless little activity known as painting.

Yep, I'm talking about painting as a spiritual event. The act has something to do with making a physical tribute--a sort of a visual prayer--honouring the gifts that surround us and the life we've been given.

Before you hit that delete key or drop a note to say I've gone wonky again, here are a few observations for those who might be buying my oysters:

Art establishes and makes tangible a time, a place, a thought, an idea.

Art, properly made, enhances and enriches the lives of others.

Art gives an opportunity to endow new life and new meaning into the ordinary.

Art gives an opportunity to design your own world, and, as in your children, create a significant immortality.

Art is hard-earned work that is its own reward and has a degree of permanence.

Art, because it's so easy to do, and yet so difficult to do well, encourages humility in the human soul.

Art is an apprenticeship that can be stretched into a lifelong education.

Art thrives on democratic ideals, freedom of expression and rugged individualism.

Art permits you to step out of the labyrinth and into a quiet corner of your own private joy.

Best regards,
Robert Genn

PS: "You don't need to follow someone else's path." (Nathan Thornburgh)

Esoterica: A spiritual awakening is often found and developed in a wilderness. It can be a poem or a parable of a deep forest, a mountain meadow or a cactus-studded desert. The outdoor spirit of plein air refreshes and further enables the indoor studio chapel. Each new creative beginning is a confirmation of the simple truth of taking care. And while it may all appear to be self-indulgent and isolating, every thought, every stroke, every caress of the brush adds a small refreshment of meaning and purpose to our universe. "Work is love made visible." (Kahlil Gibran)

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
http://clicks.robertgenn.com/spiritual-event.php (to view this broadcast letter online)

You can also follow Robert's valuable insights and see further feedback on Facebook and Twitter.
(permission to reprint in this blog granted by Robert Genn Mar 11, 2011..."Hi Yolanda,
Thanks for writing and yes please use the material as you see fit, giving credit where due.
All the best and thanks for your friendship. Robert")

(c) Copyright 2011 Robert Genn. If you wish to copy this material to other publications or mail lists, please ask for permission by writing rgenn@saraphina.com. Thanks for your friendship.

FRIENDS

Friends........They love you, but they're not your lover
They care for you, but they're not from your family
They're ready to share your pain, but they're not your blood relation.

They are........FRIENDS! !!!!
A True friend...... .

Scolds like a DAD..
Cares like a MOM..
Teases like a SISTER..
Irritates like a BROTHER..
And finally loves you more than a LOVER.

(A friend is a lifesaver, a enemy may need saving too, BUT....:)

My English Language Pedigree

Regarding languages, vowels, and English grammar ... and cut downs http://wordsmith.org/words/images/pedigree_large.gif

My English Language Pedigree

I hope you will agree,
and will appreciate,
my English pedigree
is simply, very... grate!

(Yolanda)

Fear of Darkness

Fear of Darkness

What about those of us
who work in the dark,
are in the dark,
blindly seeking light
and then may shine
brightly for others?

I do not fear darkness,
but greatly appreciate
the stars
that shine
at night,
and the dawn
heralding a new day,
a new beginning,
a new challenge.

(Yolanda)

What Is a Troll? Chronic Dysfunctional Social Behavior.

(prerequisite is my blog on Getting Along in a Social Setting)
(Also worth your viewing is comic caricatures at this web site defining the many online group flame warriors dysfunctional behaviors ...
http://redwing.hutman.net/~mreed/)

The many faulty, fault correction behaviors used in dysfunctional groups and by select savage individuals creates an unhealthy climate increasing the cold weather fronts of hostility, animosity, irritability, intolerance, hatred, and many other negative human behavior responses counterproductive socially.

In interpersonal communication and relationships, it is the differences recognized in others that initiates the fault finding, fault riddance discrimination syndrome . It is very difficult when someone believes there is a fault in another when it is not actually a fault but natural human diversity: differences such as a disability, a developmentally acquired attribute, or some other distinguishing feature.

Unlike faults, diversity is not bad and it is good to be discerning of differences so as to improve one's self and others. To know and for others to know your strengths and weakness is prerequisite to improving thereon, being able to appreciate how much improvement has occurred overall, and how much to expect in the future.

Diversity deserves group attitudes and actions that foster understanding, acceptance, tolerance, and also providing helpful, caring, responsive therapeutic treatment or special counseling if needed. Diversity in a group should not be a problem if the differences that distinguish an individual's specific strengths and weaknesses are allowed. Conformance compatibility changes and expectations required within a group should be flexible enough to accommodate the individual's special needs.

Related to the problem of dysfunctional fault finding behavior, is the disagreeable fault creating troll and the various trolling behaviors that should be cast out and banned. Trolls are negatively and rapidly reproducing their species creating unusual breeds of trolls where each breed has many varieties making it difficult to cope with the problems the troll creates.

In general, the species of trolls is a person choosing dysfunctional behavior.  The troll does not even believe the way he writes, he just writes it just to provoke negative response, (that's trolling). Just disagreeing (however loudly and/or wrongly you may think) isn't trolling because dissent is valuable in a group especially if it is sincerely expressed, valid, and not meant to be a political ploy detraction.

A troll is a bully who harms others and disregards the rights of
others. The troll uses low level fault finding behaviors on the entire group or individuals within a group increasing disharmony, discord, and dysfunction of a group's member or the entire group. The troll creates confusion muddying the discussion by mixing up the minds of the participants.

The troll is the villain. Given choice, the troll chooses evil, bad versus good, destructive behavior versus constructive. Zooming in on the label, trolling unreasonably disagreeing with something that's a known fact or otherwise claims to own/have done/seen something that is either clearly impossible or intentionally formatted so that it get's on the other person's nerves, exasperating their patience and tolerance excessively. Don't feed a troll by arguing with him because you have then become his victim.

Don't confuse a villainous troll with diversity members in a group.
Diversity members sincerely want to participate as they are able to positively and constructively. A troll is bad and wants to make others into worse trolls. Member by member, he can disable an otherwise productive group rendering it dysfunctional. Call in the sharp shooters to apprehend and eliminate trolls.


Never allow a troll to reproduce his species of dysfunctional behavior in what ever nuanced breed and variety evidenced. Attenuate the troll's affects on others by neutering his dysfunctional behavior then humanely, safely dispose, and protect yourself from this remorseless, unconscionable, parasitic pariah.

Pariahs tend to reinforce each other and form their own cliques within a group and perhaps attempt takeover of the group entirely. I don't know if it is possible to reform or rehabilitate the pariah, but perhaps someone may try and succeed. Perhaps the pariah will reform and rehabilitate their self becoming a welcome member in social groups that encourage and reward positive self improvement changes. There is hope that dysfunctional behaviors will be eliminated entirely.


Good luck to all with the tasks of creating a better tomorrow.With positive self improvement behavior, the social climate will become socially healthier and much more enjoyable.

Getting along in a social setting

I have many shortcomings and faults, but I do not give up on myself. For others who I consider works in progress, I have hopes for reconciliation and try again, unless I realize there is nothing possible for me inter personally to do constructively to resolve issues within reasonable measures. In those cases, I maintain social distance, and I try to do better the next time, just as I do with an unsatisfactory art work I have created.

God knows what he has created. He doesn’t make mistakes, or does he? Perhaps he intended for us to refine each other and to evolve our souls and lives so that we would have the satisfaction of feeling better because we have made the choice to become better, assisted by the help of friends and others in our lives, creating a bond that unites us socially in a satisfactory way.

In this blog there are many grammar errors, poor wording, and an incomplete list of gradations of the levels of  the need for and methods of modifying another’s behavior. I keep proof reading and rewriting to improve it. There is a point at which I must stop trying to improve it. You may see obvious errors in the message content or other problems I can not see myself. I appreciate those who let me know my mistakes in a constructive way, but there is not time to dwell too long on its imperfections or any you see in me.  

In behavior modification, it is virtually impossible not to change yourself while engaged in the attempt to influence desired change(s) in others. The resulting behaviors of both interacting may be worse than before. We are changed by the people we love because love is the most powerful instrument of change process.

However, I keep on working at becoming a better person. Shouldn’t we all? It is just more difficult for some than others to improve because we all have different resources to use and problems to cope with. It is very difficult when others would prefer you to fulfill their negative projections and expectations, low balling, rather than having high hopes for evolving your social ability positively.

Groups ironically and historically need to have scapegoats. Groups also have their ins and their outs. For instance the saying, “Clue her in” or “She’s clueless”, or “Clue her out” ... Mankind’s history is a violent one. It seems that by now we would have learned how to coexist peacefully, but the news on TV indicates we haven’t achieved that level of civilized behavior.

SomeYahoo groups have lost valuable members due to interpersonal  personality conflicts. I have worked a lifetime in organizations, in both social and business groups, and by now must have experienced directly and personally almost every interpersonal conflict imaginable or that others can contrive.

It was necessary to analyze a variety of interpersonal behaviors along the way in order to understand my own behavior better and that of associates and acquaintances.

Often self improvement was needed or sensed that the group had problems within its organization borders, coping with interpersonal conflicts counter productively negatively affecting the groups quality of existence. 

How do we create better mirrors to reflect where behavior should change either in ourselves or others so that the result is a higher performing and more productive person in their interpersonal relationships? It is a challenging problem to eliminate group social conflicts and alleviate interpersonal friction.

There is a difference in degree and resulting effects of methods used to evaluate each other and influence desired change. Changes desired are identified according to subjective assessments made by person(s) who may or may not be qualified to critique another.


When it is not an I'm OK, your OK situation, behavior modification is required by one or both participants or all participants in a group according to the scale of need for reducing friction and social conflicts. I have created the following analytical progression of severity from bad to ideal behavior modification to prevent validly perceived poor social performance and to facilitate mutual improvements inter personally.


***************


List items presented in the order of least effective to most effective mode of modifying an other's behavior to an other's expectations and standards of improvements . We both know individuals differ in the manner they deliver or treat another individual inter personally whether it be in or out of a group.

Group psychology is a little more difficult than just meeting and making a new friend(s). It is the science of politics, and I lack training and experience needed in that science. I am even very poor performer socially. I believe it developmental to identify fault correction methods and their effectiveness.

1 Faults invented such as falsely labeling overtly, covertly, or subversively an other who is unwelcome in the group because of personal attributes.

2 Fault dwelling and focusing so as to dismiss the persons strengths and contributions discouraging and suppressing their active participation while encouraging others.

3 Fault ridiculing another to suppress them from participation and denigration of them.

4 Fault seeking with intent to harm.

5 Fault finding as casual observation.

6 Criticising excessively versus when justified.

8 Giving feedback harshly and mean spirited.

9 Giving feedback kindly and generously.

10 Giving feedback when asked and responding as a friend.

11 Acceptance partially of an individual despite his shortcomings.

12 Acceptance unconditionally appreciating the individual. Reinforcing their unique contribution with no need for change. 
Every individual has something that justifies their valuable presence positively and uniquely in life.


What level would you judge you practice?  What level do you judge groups you know about when assessing their internal interpersonal effectiveness? I know I need to improve, do you, or an organization you belong to?

Yahoo Groups and Organizations

The Sentence.

Give me liberty or give me death,
But preferred, is that you give me breadth.
The breadth of vision, the space to breathe,
Without breadth it is better to leave!

To unjust victor belongs soiled spoils,
Without liberty, clichés and toils.
Liberty without breadth, surely foils.
Victory is in the liberty.

(2011©Yolanda Martin and Daniel Magnus Bennét Björck)


*************************************


Yahoo Groups


Censorship moderator action is ONE way to impose compatibility among the members, but I do not like to belong to a group where that is needed.


That is abandonment of the right to express freely.


In my own Yahoo group, if a member does not use good communication judgment and is abusively harmful to the group then the member is first warned, and if necessary removed.


Many times a member leaves recognizing they are not compatible with others in the group and choose not to fight for participating social space within the group.


I do not like totalitarian or dictator type regimes as is it anti-democratic and also does not create a forum for individual social learning.


"The hamster is dead and the wheel is still turning." results.


Yolanda
(I learn from my failures and am reinforced by my successes.)

WORDS

May I share a short poem I wrote January 30, 1982

THE FOOL PROOF FOUR

The fool you see

That fool is me

No fool can be

The fool of thee.

Here is a web page of clever insults and putdowns ... they might make for interesting reading or in case someone reading this likes to engage in uncivil behavior ...

http://www.corsinet.com/braincandy/insult.html

We need only look around us and acknowledge the current crisis of bullying in our country to see the power of words. What begins with a word, an insult, has led to the suicide of many, and for others ill health, sorrow, and needless pain ....Words kill but words can also help. It takes wisdom to use them non destructively.

Words should be used to enlighten, inform, and encourage and there would be less conflict for all. In additon to words, it is the spirit and intent of the communication that matters and not its mechanics.

Diversity .....

In American we live and work with others who have vastly different skills, intelligence, and educational levels, plus the American citizen may speak many languages, not just one, or maybe barely can master verbal and written communication at all. They may even be autistic, disabled, too young or too old, and many other differences. Unlike more homogenous countries, America is probably one of the most diverse of all, hence the need to advocate the diversity tolerance and acceptance of those whose strengths may be your weaknesses ... or vice versa.

I think that we should strive to develop skills and proficiency in our countries chosen language, English, but we should not expect others to have the same proficiency as our own nor should we judge them via those self centered standards projecting onto others. An English major probably is going to know more about the English language than a mathematics major. A highly educated high brow should not feel that he is better than the one whose life circumstances chose other priorities in life. The need to elevate one's self esteem by rudely pointing out the deficiencies of another merely indicates snobbery, false sense of superiority, and a need for improved understanding of the other, to accept them for who they are and not who you expect them to be. How very rude to address another's weaknesses rather than perceive their innate value and rightful place in life. You may condemn immorality, dishonesty, violence, and other sins, but you may not condemn a person for being their self with acquired personal attributes and expressions uniquely their own as well as their imperfections.

“We must strive to remind ourselves of this great possibility. Instead of  allowing diversity of race and culture to become a limiting factor in human exchange and development, we must refocus our understanding, discern in such diversity the potential for mutual enrichment, and realize that it is the interchange between great traditions of human spirituality that offers the best prospect for the persistence of the human spirit itself. For too long such diversity has been treated as threat rather than gift. And too often that threat has been expressed in racial contempt and conflict, in exclusion, discrimination and intolerance. “ (The source of the quote above is on a page in the United Nations web site .... http://www.un.org/WCAR/e-kit/vision.htm )

English Language versus the American Language

"English has pursued other languages down alleyways to beat them unconscious and rifle their pockets for new vocabulary." (unknown)

Do you know that the English and the American languages differ greatly? The American language is one of frank sincerity, naturalness, earnest attitude, and fellowship acceptance.The English favor the language first, its user second; and the Americans favor the user first, language second.

The English in their imperialist manner forced the English language on all their colonies and conquered people, America being one of those colonies. But fortunately, America has earned her independence and long ago history says.

With the immigration of peoples from many nations speaking and writing other languages as well as the native America Indian languages that influenced American language as it now exists, how one speaks and writes should be judged first and foremost on that fact that he does so freely and openly, sincerely, and honestly.... not on how well he conforms to English expectations of grammar perfection.

That being said, you may grade my English grammar of the writing above or what I write in my blogs only after you first understand the difference between being American versus being a pedantic of English language.

My Background

"The best way to ruin a friendship is to do someone's website" (just an interesting quote) .... I have constructed websites for friends and organizations volunteering my time and resources. It was a valuable learning experience, but one that I would rather not dwell on. If you have coded HTML very much you understand my message without my adding any additional detail.

In response to a friends inquiry about my education and work backgound ..

In 1963-69 (it took me longer than 4 years since I was married and gave birth to 2 children during those tertiary school years at Hannibal-Lagrange College, University of Illinois, Kansas City Metropolitan Junior College, and University of Missouri at K. C.).... there was no such thing as a major in computer science or IT, I majored in Mathematics (avoiding statistics and applied stuff), minored in Education and received a B.S. Math degree at which time, I applied to AT&T and was hired to work in their accounting department as a salaried professional. AT&T trained a class of new hires regularly (about 20) to train to their standards of excellence and to educate to be a member of their department of programmers and data base developers. Working as a professional employee with AT&T meant I was non union (which was only for wage earners), and AT&T professionals were designated management personnel. I worked for them for 4 years then my husband and I relocated to Rochester, NY as new hires for Xerox. Xerox provided IBM training classes in IMS and systems software development. After working for Xerox for about 3 years, American Express in Phoenix, Az hired me providing even more advanced training and education in IMS design and development .... and so on and so on through other U.S. Corporations (Capex, IT&T Courier, Intel, IBM, and back to AT&T) moving up the professional ladder of expertise with each move, receiving greater compensation as I advanced. I even worked overseas (1985-6) in New Zealand (with permanent residence visa) for their consortium of banks data processing company named DataBank, returned to America and worked for Cutler Williams as a consultant to Lomas & Nettleton Mortgage Company then consulting work, work, and more work.... and now I am retired... creatively using my time to be both artist and author as time allows.

The paragraph above accounts for my working career years after tertiary schooling. Prior to my college graduation year 1969, from age 15-25, I worked while attending high school and college to save money to pay for my education as a home town telephone operator, waitress in a nice restaurant, clerk in retail stores, and secretary in school offices.

Whew! That was a trip down memory lane.