Tuesday, August 28, 2007

Goal Achieved!

Since last writing, I've accomplished one of my goals -- applying to Peters Valley's Guest Artist Residency for '07/'08. I completed the application last night and popped it in the mail today; due on the 1st. Whew!

And now I've realized after listening to NPR today I'm just another statistic of Generation X-ers posting their life lists online for all of the world to see. Humph!

Today on Talk of the Nation, an NPR program, one of the stories was "A List of To-Dos Before You Die", stimulated by Alex William's article, "Ten Things to Do Before this Article is Over" in Sunday's New York Times. Apparently there is a growing movement or trend to write life goals. Not surprising considering our society is burgeoning with self-help, therapy, and coaching gurus. And, I am pro lists -- always have been. Ask any of my friends or family.

Also today I was listening to Sound Check on WNYC's 93.9 and John Schaefer's guest was Brad Warner, a Zen-Buddhist and punk rocker. Yes, you can laugh all you want, I'm an NPR junky. That's what happens when you don't have TV and you drive without satellite radio. Well, I don't care for punk rock, but I do practice yoga once a week and have grown to appreciate many aspects of Zen, the little that I know.

So you can see my tidy, anal self was crashing with the sensitive, mindful self in one day on the radio. I want to be focused, I want to achieve my goals and since writing them down I feel more directed. But, I want to be present, not loose sight of NOW, and be able to adapt when my goals don't come to fruition or they do in a different way. My personality has always been to want the best of both worlds, happy in the middle. Maybe I'll be the one to find a way to inner peace through my lists. Hmmmm.

In the meantime, check out my latest saint that I finished today.

St. Perker, Oil on MDF Panel, 12" x 16" ©2007 Jennie Traill Schaeffer

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