Art Linkletter had it right when he coined the phrase "Kids say the darnedest things" I know my kids have. I remember the time I was sitting on my couch with my youngest son, then 4, watching the winter Olympics when he turned to me and asked "How do you spell USA?"
To go through life with the perspective of a child would be interesting. Their sense of wonder and honest excitment for discovery is refreshing. We soon forget what it was like to notice that a cucumber structurally is just like a watermelon and find they are related. These little people are always thinking...
I heard a story once where a young boy was standing in line at the grocery store with his mom behind a really large man. This large man was too busy visiting with the clerk and putting groceries on the counter to notice the little boy. Then from the man's pocket came a ring... ring when his cell phone went off.
When the little boy heard this he got fidgety and said to his mom "watch it.... he's backing up"
One of my favorite personal stories was when my oldest son was around five years old. It was my wife's birthday and we had just come home from church which in our house means "Let the party begin" so I started this conversation with my son..
"Hey, do you know what today is?"
"Yea, it's Mommy's birthday!"
"That's right, 38 years ago today your mother was born...."
"She was born on her birthday!!!!! COOL!"
There are days when your kids are a challenge but we can learn alot by seeing the world through their eyes. I guess we keep them around for those moments when they brighten our day and make us smile....
Prescott Galleries
Wednesday, May 19, 2010
'Resume'- Wife, Grandma, Antique Collector,... Car Theif"
Worlds of wisdom- "Don't judge a book by its cover" I know this is not news but it really holds true when you are talking about that senior citizens. By appearance they are slow and seemingly feeble but that just helps them to do things we could never get away with.
On the bright side.... once they act irresponsibly they are quick to make it right. Here is a true story of when a friend of mine stole my car.
It was New years Eve and we were invited to a gathering of Church people who get together every year on this evening and play games until the clock clicks over to the next year. This might seem passive but if you happen to be at the table that plays a card game called "Spoons" then watch out. Not unlike a house fire I believe it is a requirement to have the rescue squad on call if you play this game.
Well we had another place to visit before we arrived at this party so when we arrived the parking lot was pretty full. As end of year luck would have it as we drove in another car was leaving and we pulled right into their spot. Since we live in a quaint Vermont village that you don't drive through to get anywhere else we have made a habit of leaving the keys in the ignition. Besides it was -10 degrees and we were sure that most trouble makers were in where it was warm. With the car parked we left it to go inside.
On the way in we met Jan and her mom leaving the party. Now Jan loves to travel collect antiques, and is a Grandmother. Her accomplice, I mean mom is a Great Grandmother. Not people you feel the need to keep an eye on but apparently we were mistaken.
My wife and I quickly got involved in one of the many games being played. About 15 minutes later Jan and her mom came back inside laughing. They came right to me an apologized. You see Jan left the party and stole my car and without even a alcoholic beverage to aid her in this poor decision.
Actually this is what really happened. The car that was leaving just before we arrived was Jan's son who they rode to the party with. These two women went out and got into the car parked in the same spot as the car they arrived in. Since the keys were in the ignition they started it up and drove off. Now as with most people of this generation the mind is the first thing to go. You would have thought that it would have donned on her when she turned to her mom and said " I did not know Jared's car had seat heaters?" You would think she would have seen the necklace hanging from the rear view mirror that my son made when he was 4 and gave to my wife. No to either of these. After she pulled the car into their garage some 3 miles away and got out she saw the Volvo tag on the side of the car when it hit her. "This isn't Jared's car".
Once the shock wore off and she stopped laughing enough to be able to drive again she returned the car. If it wasn't for her honesty we would have never known.... It did reaffirm that we should not judge a book by its cover,
Prescott Galleries
On the bright side.... once they act irresponsibly they are quick to make it right. Here is a true story of when a friend of mine stole my car.
It was New years Eve and we were invited to a gathering of Church people who get together every year on this evening and play games until the clock clicks over to the next year. This might seem passive but if you happen to be at the table that plays a card game called "Spoons" then watch out. Not unlike a house fire I believe it is a requirement to have the rescue squad on call if you play this game.
Well we had another place to visit before we arrived at this party so when we arrived the parking lot was pretty full. As end of year luck would have it as we drove in another car was leaving and we pulled right into their spot. Since we live in a quaint Vermont village that you don't drive through to get anywhere else we have made a habit of leaving the keys in the ignition. Besides it was -10 degrees and we were sure that most trouble makers were in where it was warm. With the car parked we left it to go inside.
On the way in we met Jan and her mom leaving the party. Now Jan loves to travel collect antiques, and is a Grandmother. Her accomplice, I mean mom is a Great Grandmother. Not people you feel the need to keep an eye on but apparently we were mistaken.
My wife and I quickly got involved in one of the many games being played. About 15 minutes later Jan and her mom came back inside laughing. They came right to me an apologized. You see Jan left the party and stole my car and without even a alcoholic beverage to aid her in this poor decision.
Actually this is what really happened. The car that was leaving just before we arrived was Jan's son who they rode to the party with. These two women went out and got into the car parked in the same spot as the car they arrived in. Since the keys were in the ignition they started it up and drove off. Now as with most people of this generation the mind is the first thing to go. You would have thought that it would have donned on her when she turned to her mom and said " I did not know Jared's car had seat heaters?" You would think she would have seen the necklace hanging from the rear view mirror that my son made when he was 4 and gave to my wife. No to either of these. After she pulled the car into their garage some 3 miles away and got out she saw the Volvo tag on the side of the car when it hit her. "This isn't Jared's car".
Once the shock wore off and she stopped laughing enough to be able to drive again she returned the car. If it wasn't for her honesty we would have never known.... It did reaffirm that we should not judge a book by its cover,
Prescott Galleries
Monday, May 17, 2010
"My First Critic was a Woodchuck"
No,Really! My first critic WAS a woodchuck.
In Vermont the term "Woodchuck" can refer to some back woods native that might still be living in the first half of the 1900's. Our version of a Redneck. The type that if you say "I think I will start my herb garden before I go on my nature hike" they hear "I want to take your guns". Although skeptical of those who want to take away a lifestyle they have grown comfortable with, this was NOT my first critic. My first critic was a furry brown rodent that stood no higher than 14 inches on a good day. Here is the story.
When I was around 14 years old I would work summers on my Grandparents farm. It is a time filled with many a fond memory. Driving tractors, picking berries, checking out my cousins cabin in the woods with a trap door that hid two dozen Playboy Magazines. Yes when I look back life was good, but at the time it did have its moments of boredom. At the end of a hard day the last thing this teenager wanted to do was to sit on the porch swing and talk about whatever neighbor just drove by.
At a loss for things to occupy my time I would sketch. Well one evening I decided to walk up the hill that overlooked the farm and sketch. It is one of my most memorable views of Vermont as I looked over the House and barn to the Green Mountains and its second highest peak, Camels Hump. Having sat on the porch swing for several evenings I knew there was a resident woodchuck that would come out every evening and forage.
With sketch book in hand I walked up the hill and found its hole, walked about 10 feet above it and sat to sketch. I didn't necessarily want to see the woodchuck but was still a bit leery about woodland creatures so though it best to be able to keep one eye open, in case it appeared.
It did not take me long to get lost in my work. The Farmhouse built in the late 1800's with a huge willow tree to its west where my mom and her sisters would swing with each other and later with boy friends. The Barn across the road where I learned my work ethic and heard the great stories my Gramp would tell of his days working at Shelburne Farms- back when it was a working farm. The twin maples at the edge of the road that the farm was named after were all that was left of the 50 or so that use to line the road. All gone now in the name of progress.
As I sketched I would see cars coming from the north when I realized that they would slow down as they saw me sketching. Some would even stop for a short while before continuing on to the village. So engrossed with the work at hand I told myself they must have never seen a young boy sketching and continued to work.
After a few hours and with the sun starting to set I picked myself up, dusted off my backside, and headed back down the hill for home.
When I got closer to the porch I heard Gramp laugh and say "Hey City Slicker"- my pet nickname he had tagged me with a few years earlier, but that's another story. "Did you know that the woodchuck stood up behind you and watched you work?"
In my diligence to find a safe spot to sketch from I did not take into account that woodchucks have several exits from the same burrow. Apparently its second hole was above me and when he came out to forage that evening he was confronted with a unusual rock that had not been there days before so it stood to check it for danger.
The cars slowing down were not looking at the young artist as I had thought, but at my first critic. That lonely rodent who stood looking over my shoulder checking out every stroke but I liked this critic. For instead of being loud and overbearing this one knew to "Keep its mouth shut"
Prescott Galleries
In Vermont the term "Woodchuck" can refer to some back woods native that might still be living in the first half of the 1900's. Our version of a Redneck. The type that if you say "I think I will start my herb garden before I go on my nature hike" they hear "I want to take your guns". Although skeptical of those who want to take away a lifestyle they have grown comfortable with, this was NOT my first critic. My first critic was a furry brown rodent that stood no higher than 14 inches on a good day. Here is the story.
When I was around 14 years old I would work summers on my Grandparents farm. It is a time filled with many a fond memory. Driving tractors, picking berries, checking out my cousins cabin in the woods with a trap door that hid two dozen Playboy Magazines. Yes when I look back life was good, but at the time it did have its moments of boredom. At the end of a hard day the last thing this teenager wanted to do was to sit on the porch swing and talk about whatever neighbor just drove by.
At a loss for things to occupy my time I would sketch. Well one evening I decided to walk up the hill that overlooked the farm and sketch. It is one of my most memorable views of Vermont as I looked over the House and barn to the Green Mountains and its second highest peak, Camels Hump. Having sat on the porch swing for several evenings I knew there was a resident woodchuck that would come out every evening and forage.
With sketch book in hand I walked up the hill and found its hole, walked about 10 feet above it and sat to sketch. I didn't necessarily want to see the woodchuck but was still a bit leery about woodland creatures so though it best to be able to keep one eye open, in case it appeared.
It did not take me long to get lost in my work. The Farmhouse built in the late 1800's with a huge willow tree to its west where my mom and her sisters would swing with each other and later with boy friends. The Barn across the road where I learned my work ethic and heard the great stories my Gramp would tell of his days working at Shelburne Farms- back when it was a working farm. The twin maples at the edge of the road that the farm was named after were all that was left of the 50 or so that use to line the road. All gone now in the name of progress.
As I sketched I would see cars coming from the north when I realized that they would slow down as they saw me sketching. Some would even stop for a short while before continuing on to the village. So engrossed with the work at hand I told myself they must have never seen a young boy sketching and continued to work.
After a few hours and with the sun starting to set I picked myself up, dusted off my backside, and headed back down the hill for home.
When I got closer to the porch I heard Gramp laugh and say "Hey City Slicker"- my pet nickname he had tagged me with a few years earlier, but that's another story. "Did you know that the woodchuck stood up behind you and watched you work?"
In my diligence to find a safe spot to sketch from I did not take into account that woodchucks have several exits from the same burrow. Apparently its second hole was above me and when he came out to forage that evening he was confronted with a unusual rock that had not been there days before so it stood to check it for danger.
The cars slowing down were not looking at the young artist as I had thought, but at my first critic. That lonely rodent who stood looking over my shoulder checking out every stroke but I liked this critic. For instead of being loud and overbearing this one knew to "Keep its mouth shut"
Prescott Galleries
Sunday, May 16, 2010
"Mother was Outstanding in Her Field"
My Father-in Law Paul was fun to have around. I truly miss him. He and my Mother-in-Law were married over 55 years..... in spite of the story I am about to tell you.
It was a warm spring day. One of the first of the year for this Vermont mountain town so everything was a buzz. Cyclist out for a spin, birds and frogs singing up a storm, you could almost see the leaves pop from the trees, and people out for walks.
"Mother", as he affectionately called her, needed to go to town for groceries. She never had a drivers license so to get to the store required fitting it into other peoples schedules. Paul happened to be home that day, so they loaded the car with Gramma (who had just broken her arm and was living with them) into the front seat of the car and started for town.
Now it took awhile for "Mother" to find a spot in the back seat to sit. Paul had worked construction for many years and did not own a utility truck so he had turned his olive green Dodge Coronet into a "workshop on wheels". The back seat was almost level with work jackets, power tools, tool boxes and the sorts. After a minute Mother had a small place secured and they were heading off the mountain for the store.
About a half mile from home they met my wife and her sister heading in the other direction in another vehicle. Mother needed to talk to them so she yelled "Paul STOP!" and he did... but not after they had past each other by about 50 yards. She quickly got out of the car and walked up the road before her daughters could back up and started to talk.
Early in the conversation she realized she could hear the school bus coming up the hill. When she looked in the direction the bus was coming from and noticed that in her haste she had left the car door wide open. So as to not be a danger for the bus she walked back to her car, closed the door, then crossed back to the girls.
Now I am never sure what those women can find to talk about but I do know that their conversation will usually last awhile and this one was no exception. Now having finished with business they exchanged parting remarks, Mother stood, and the Girls took off up the hill and out of sight. When Mother turned around to go back to her car she realized that the car was no longer there. You see Paul, having heard the car door close, assumed Mother had gotten back into the car so he had started for town again.
Now Mother was sure he would discover she was not there, so instead of walking the half mile back home, she decided to walk towards town.
I am not sure what was the bigger shock for Paul, who as he turned into the store parking lot some seven miles from home, said to Gramma "Mother must have fallen asleep.... it's pretty quite back there". The shock of not being able to find her when he opened the back door and started moving around tools and work clothes.... or the warm greeting he got when he walked through the house door having returned from town.
As for Mother... she walked a mile and a half towards town before giving up on her husband and phoning the girls to come get her and bring her home where she had a fair amount of time to "prepare his pipe and slippers".
Prescott Galleries
It was a warm spring day. One of the first of the year for this Vermont mountain town so everything was a buzz. Cyclist out for a spin, birds and frogs singing up a storm, you could almost see the leaves pop from the trees, and people out for walks.
"Mother", as he affectionately called her, needed to go to town for groceries. She never had a drivers license so to get to the store required fitting it into other peoples schedules. Paul happened to be home that day, so they loaded the car with Gramma (who had just broken her arm and was living with them) into the front seat of the car and started for town.
Now it took awhile for "Mother" to find a spot in the back seat to sit. Paul had worked construction for many years and did not own a utility truck so he had turned his olive green Dodge Coronet into a "workshop on wheels". The back seat was almost level with work jackets, power tools, tool boxes and the sorts. After a minute Mother had a small place secured and they were heading off the mountain for the store.
About a half mile from home they met my wife and her sister heading in the other direction in another vehicle. Mother needed to talk to them so she yelled "Paul STOP!" and he did... but not after they had past each other by about 50 yards. She quickly got out of the car and walked up the road before her daughters could back up and started to talk.
Early in the conversation she realized she could hear the school bus coming up the hill. When she looked in the direction the bus was coming from and noticed that in her haste she had left the car door wide open. So as to not be a danger for the bus she walked back to her car, closed the door, then crossed back to the girls.
Now I am never sure what those women can find to talk about but I do know that their conversation will usually last awhile and this one was no exception. Now having finished with business they exchanged parting remarks, Mother stood, and the Girls took off up the hill and out of sight. When Mother turned around to go back to her car she realized that the car was no longer there. You see Paul, having heard the car door close, assumed Mother had gotten back into the car so he had started for town again.
Now Mother was sure he would discover she was not there, so instead of walking the half mile back home, she decided to walk towards town.
I am not sure what was the bigger shock for Paul, who as he turned into the store parking lot some seven miles from home, said to Gramma "Mother must have fallen asleep.... it's pretty quite back there". The shock of not being able to find her when he opened the back door and started moving around tools and work clothes.... or the warm greeting he got when he walked through the house door having returned from town.
As for Mother... she walked a mile and a half towards town before giving up on her husband and phoning the girls to come get her and bring her home where she had a fair amount of time to "prepare his pipe and slippers".
Prescott Galleries
"Wrong Person, Wrong Seat, Definately the Wrong Bus"
We are all familiar with Captain Richard Phillips and his run in with the Somali Pirates but I feel a certain closeness to the situation. You see, when the whole ordeal was going on, I worked for a company based just a few miles from the Captain's home in Vermont.
The manufacturer I worked for also hired many Somali's from the local refugee population settled in Vermont. I had many conversations about their families back home, what it is like to be in Vermont compared to their country, and even their Muslim religion.
So when I heard about the Captain's capture I felt a connection. It was as if I could put a face on those involved, but that is not what this blog is about. It is about a business principle that says "you want the right person, on the right bus, in the right seat" A principle that challenges you to efficiently direct your assets.
This is a story about one of my Somali friends who was the "Wrong person, in the wrong seat, definitely the WRONG BUS"... We will call him Seth just for anonymity purposes. Seth was a production foreman for this company. The company was in the process of moving from one town to another but had not fully moved yet. Manufacturing had all moved but until a week before this incident we were operating part of the warehouse from a site 26 miles away. It felt good to finally have the warehouse moved and although it was not on site with manufacturing it was in a rented space some 3 miles away.
It was the off shift and Seth was missing a few components for a order on the line. He knew we had more in the warehouse so the easy fix was to get in his car and drive to the warehouse and retrieve what they needed.
He had not ever been to the off site warehouse but got directions and was on his way. Now as with most rented warehouse spaces the building we were in housed five different businesses. When Seth pulled into the parking lot he was faced with a decision. Which door leads to our warehouse? Then he noticed a awning over one of the doors and printed on it was the address of our warehouse so logically he thought "This must be the place"
He went to the door and was suprised that it was unlocked so he opened it and walked right on in. Immediately he doubted the choice he had made because instead of a warehouse full of components all he could see were men sitting at desks. A quick look around the room he noticed a set of steel doors at the far end of the room and he was back on track. "That must be the way to the warehouse" and set out for those doors. About half way across the room he was forcefully grabbed by a couple of the men. You see Seth was not in our warehouse. He was close though, just one door away from where he needed to be.
Seth was forcefully removed from the room he had walked into... in handcuffs. When you are of Somali descent close in not good enough. Especially when the offices you walked into were for the Enforcement Division for Homeland Security...
So you can say "Seth was the wrong person, in the wrong seat, and definitely ON THE WRONG BUS"
Prescott Galleries
The manufacturer I worked for also hired many Somali's from the local refugee population settled in Vermont. I had many conversations about their families back home, what it is like to be in Vermont compared to their country, and even their Muslim religion.
So when I heard about the Captain's capture I felt a connection. It was as if I could put a face on those involved, but that is not what this blog is about. It is about a business principle that says "you want the right person, on the right bus, in the right seat" A principle that challenges you to efficiently direct your assets.
This is a story about one of my Somali friends who was the "Wrong person, in the wrong seat, definitely the WRONG BUS"... We will call him Seth just for anonymity purposes. Seth was a production foreman for this company. The company was in the process of moving from one town to another but had not fully moved yet. Manufacturing had all moved but until a week before this incident we were operating part of the warehouse from a site 26 miles away. It felt good to finally have the warehouse moved and although it was not on site with manufacturing it was in a rented space some 3 miles away.
It was the off shift and Seth was missing a few components for a order on the line. He knew we had more in the warehouse so the easy fix was to get in his car and drive to the warehouse and retrieve what they needed.
He had not ever been to the off site warehouse but got directions and was on his way. Now as with most rented warehouse spaces the building we were in housed five different businesses. When Seth pulled into the parking lot he was faced with a decision. Which door leads to our warehouse? Then he noticed a awning over one of the doors and printed on it was the address of our warehouse so logically he thought "This must be the place"
He went to the door and was suprised that it was unlocked so he opened it and walked right on in. Immediately he doubted the choice he had made because instead of a warehouse full of components all he could see were men sitting at desks. A quick look around the room he noticed a set of steel doors at the far end of the room and he was back on track. "That must be the way to the warehouse" and set out for those doors. About half way across the room he was forcefully grabbed by a couple of the men. You see Seth was not in our warehouse. He was close though, just one door away from where he needed to be.
Seth was forcefully removed from the room he had walked into... in handcuffs. When you are of Somali descent close in not good enough. Especially when the offices you walked into were for the Enforcement Division for Homeland Security...
So you can say "Seth was the wrong person, in the wrong seat, and definitely ON THE WRONG BUS"
Prescott Galleries
"Do a Good Deed Daily- Even if by Accident"
We all see the value of doing a good deed daily but there are times when we do so by accident. I just heard about a situation with one of my neighbors doing this.
My neighbor realized he needed wiper blades for his car so he stopped into the local auto parts store. After looking at the rack he realized he was overwhelmed with all the choices, so he asked the clerk to help him. With the usual conversation of make, model and type of blade he made his decision and purchased a nice set of blades.
Now, like most of us, this neighbor is very busy so instead of taking the blades home he walked out of the store and installed them on his car. Being a small town he had several people stop and visit, say hi, or give a gratuitous wave. With his job now complete he found a trash can and disposed of the old blades and packaging.
He walked back to his car, got in and turned the key but the car didn't start. Immediately he wondered what was wrong? Did he leave his lights on? What's the matter with his car. Then he smiled because he realized he had just done his good deed for the day....
What deed was that you might ask.....
After looking around he realized it wasn't his car....
So do your good deed for today... even if by accident
Prescott Galleries
Friday, May 14, 2010
"Let's Hang Man"
I have been a artist and painter for over 30 years. My work experience with color mixing gives me insights on real world situations which I never expected. If you paint, or know someone who paints, try this. Mix a medium value color (grey) on your palette. Now apply that color on to an area much lighter than it and a area much darker than it. What appears seems to be 2 different colors, even though we know we took it from the same spot on our palette. Your little dab of color is greatly effected by its surroundings.
True to life, we too are effected by what we surround ourselves with. Our Friends, community, working associations all can change how others perceive who we are. So how do we make our choices on who we "Hang" with? Does it follow our values? Does it help us to grow?
I spent a interesting day yesterday going to two groups. First group I spent time with was a workshop called "Spend Smart" designed to help people with their spending habits. Through this three week course I expressed That it is not as much my spending but my income that is holding me back. Most of the people in this class are of low economic means so some frivolous spending was defined as getting a belt for a lawn mower, or doing without a $.75 cup of coffee from the store. Now I am all for "if you don't have it don't spend it" and creating a budget to follow, but when you start documenting every cup of coffee and have to ask yourself if you really need to spend that $.75 I have to ask "How much money/time am I spending tracking the details compared to making more money?" For this reason I don't look to spend time with large groups of artists.... misery love company.
The second group I went to be with was the Ethan Allen Institute. A talk given by former Bear Stears executive Bruce Lisman titled "Finding skin: How to build a sustainable powerhouse economy in Vermont- without giving up our values" It was a wonderful talk full of optimism and balance... even though the room was overwhelmingly conservative and not currently known for economic optimism.
There were 2 main points I took from this... First Point is that we need to be able to track and have our local Government be transparent with how money is spent. We need this to fill our Vermont Frugality need and to be able to accurately give input on how we wish to see our tax dollars used. Made sense to me. Say I am in a conversation with a person then out of the blue I push that individual to the ground that person might not be too happy with me. Now If that person looks up and realizes that I just pushed them out of the way of imminent peril they now are quite happy with me. The only difference is the awareness as to what caused my action and that it was not only justified but in their best interest. If they look up and see that I overreacted they can say "you know, your heart was in the right place, but next time......" Its called feedback. If we can see that the social areas we spend tax dollars on actually helps and saves money-(are justified)- then it is easier as taxpayers to except spending those dollars.
Second point was we need to focus on prosperity. Mr Lisman made a case that the economy is booming but not in a way we have ever seen before. He referred it the 2008 market collapse as "Darwinian Event" that has change us forever which to me implies survival of the fittest. Not in a cut throat chaotic way but that "The innovative, adaptable, and creative thinkers are positioned to succeed and those trying to fit life into past turn key solutions are doomed for failure"
This is great news for the arts or at least us creative thinkers. In order to succeed though we need someone with a great business sense. We need to form "marriages of convenience". One partner is creative and has a way of seeing the possibilities and drawing out of the practical a sense of "We can do this". The practical partner has the ability to say you need to refine the process here because we are spending more than we gain, planting into the creative mind a added dimension of "cost vs results"
A farmer kept going into the hardware store buying hammers. When he started buying them by the gross the clerk asked "What are you doing with all those hammers?"
The farmer replied "I'm selling them for $5 each."
"But they cost you $8"
"I know, but it sure beats farming"
Creative but needed some direction....
Mr. Lisman in my opinion was on point because if we then direct our tax dollars and invest tax capital to bring a net gain then everyone who wants a job will have one. everyone who can support themselves will not need assistance. People with the ability to secure a household can then take extra and support their community. All by creating a value based, prosperity in our communities- i.e. Vermont" We can see the value the arts has to offer and help society realize that a vigorous Arts community is not frivolous but actually contributes to the prosperity.
I found myself thinking where was the Vermont Arts Council- wait I was there to represent the art community. Why do these people want to lash out at people getting assistance- wait I get assistance. I need to have conversations with them so they can put a face on the issue and get a better understanding that most of us do not want that assistance. All too often we give power away. Our government is "Huge" because we give them that power. The reality is, if we say this will work and we will do it with or without you, where does that leave them? Powerless......
My minister understands this and loves it. One year our church had just finished rebuilding itself after a fire destroyed the building. The momentum from this project gave people the confidence to take on a elderly housing project so that people who lived and raised families in town would not have to move out when they became older. That year our minister started his annual report "I am the Minister of the United Church of Lincoln, there goes my flock, I must hurry, for I am there leader"
Unfortunately as creative individuals we choose to "Hang" with like minded thinkers when we need to seek out the other side. The person who knows how to take a idea and make it work. As Business owners we choose to hang out with other business owners when we should be looking to "Hang" with the creative type to help us develop that new innovation.
So for me I can spend my time counting every little bean but instead I want to find a satisfying abundance so that I can better my community and only have to count the sacks of beans.
Prescott Galleries
True to life, we too are effected by what we surround ourselves with. Our Friends, community, working associations all can change how others perceive who we are. So how do we make our choices on who we "Hang" with? Does it follow our values? Does it help us to grow?
I spent a interesting day yesterday going to two groups. First group I spent time with was a workshop called "Spend Smart" designed to help people with their spending habits. Through this three week course I expressed That it is not as much my spending but my income that is holding me back. Most of the people in this class are of low economic means so some frivolous spending was defined as getting a belt for a lawn mower, or doing without a $.75 cup of coffee from the store. Now I am all for "if you don't have it don't spend it" and creating a budget to follow, but when you start documenting every cup of coffee and have to ask yourself if you really need to spend that $.75 I have to ask "How much money/time am I spending tracking the details compared to making more money?" For this reason I don't look to spend time with large groups of artists.... misery love company.
The second group I went to be with was the Ethan Allen Institute. A talk given by former Bear Stears executive Bruce Lisman titled "Finding skin: How to build a sustainable powerhouse economy in Vermont- without giving up our values" It was a wonderful talk full of optimism and balance... even though the room was overwhelmingly conservative and not currently known for economic optimism.
There were 2 main points I took from this... First Point is that we need to be able to track and have our local Government be transparent with how money is spent. We need this to fill our Vermont Frugality need and to be able to accurately give input on how we wish to see our tax dollars used. Made sense to me. Say I am in a conversation with a person then out of the blue I push that individual to the ground that person might not be too happy with me. Now If that person looks up and realizes that I just pushed them out of the way of imminent peril they now are quite happy with me. The only difference is the awareness as to what caused my action and that it was not only justified but in their best interest. If they look up and see that I overreacted they can say "you know, your heart was in the right place, but next time......" Its called feedback. If we can see that the social areas we spend tax dollars on actually helps and saves money-(are justified)- then it is easier as taxpayers to except spending those dollars.
Second point was we need to focus on prosperity. Mr Lisman made a case that the economy is booming but not in a way we have ever seen before. He referred it the 2008 market collapse as "Darwinian Event" that has change us forever which to me implies survival of the fittest. Not in a cut throat chaotic way but that "The innovative, adaptable, and creative thinkers are positioned to succeed and those trying to fit life into past turn key solutions are doomed for failure"
This is great news for the arts or at least us creative thinkers. In order to succeed though we need someone with a great business sense. We need to form "marriages of convenience". One partner is creative and has a way of seeing the possibilities and drawing out of the practical a sense of "We can do this". The practical partner has the ability to say you need to refine the process here because we are spending more than we gain, planting into the creative mind a added dimension of "cost vs results"
A farmer kept going into the hardware store buying hammers. When he started buying them by the gross the clerk asked "What are you doing with all those hammers?"
The farmer replied "I'm selling them for $5 each."
"But they cost you $8"
"I know, but it sure beats farming"
Creative but needed some direction....
Mr. Lisman in my opinion was on point because if we then direct our tax dollars and invest tax capital to bring a net gain then everyone who wants a job will have one. everyone who can support themselves will not need assistance. People with the ability to secure a household can then take extra and support their community. All by creating a value based, prosperity in our communities- i.e. Vermont" We can see the value the arts has to offer and help society realize that a vigorous Arts community is not frivolous but actually contributes to the prosperity.
I found myself thinking where was the Vermont Arts Council- wait I was there to represent the art community. Why do these people want to lash out at people getting assistance- wait I get assistance. I need to have conversations with them so they can put a face on the issue and get a better understanding that most of us do not want that assistance. All too often we give power away. Our government is "Huge" because we give them that power. The reality is, if we say this will work and we will do it with or without you, where does that leave them? Powerless......
My minister understands this and loves it. One year our church had just finished rebuilding itself after a fire destroyed the building. The momentum from this project gave people the confidence to take on a elderly housing project so that people who lived and raised families in town would not have to move out when they became older. That year our minister started his annual report "I am the Minister of the United Church of Lincoln, there goes my flock, I must hurry, for I am there leader"
Unfortunately as creative individuals we choose to "Hang" with like minded thinkers when we need to seek out the other side. The person who knows how to take a idea and make it work. As Business owners we choose to hang out with other business owners when we should be looking to "Hang" with the creative type to help us develop that new innovation.
So for me I can spend my time counting every little bean but instead I want to find a satisfying abundance so that I can better my community and only have to count the sacks of beans.
Prescott Galleries
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