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1. Coping by and through the creation of art. I read somewhere that "adding beauty and art to the world - helps push the encroaching darkness at bay. And if you can do that? Do it. Even if that's all you can currently do?" (I don't remember where, somehow my Instagram and Threads feed got inundated with spiritual quotes and I can't get rid of them. I would probably help if I would stop liking them, right? Yes, I've reached the stage in my time line that I'm comforted by spiritual quotes.)
The art space or little art studio that I've set up in the corner of my apartment's living room. It used to be my remote from home office - but when they sent us back into the office - I turned it into an artist space.
I plan on becoming a full time novelist and artist when I retire. Now? I do it part time.
( art space )
Here's the one I did of the two women I saw on the subway this past Thursday. I've been trying to draw and paint them for three days. Finally got something. It's not quite what I want it to be - the woman on the right is off. Although I did want to emphasize her large young face. I will most likely try it again.
( painting )
Today, I drew a Bengali Woman that I saw on the street, who is dressed in Muslim garb, albeit not full habib. She was standing in the middle of the sidewalk on her phone, with grocery bags surrounding her.
I do it all from memory - because I like getting the mental impressions, as opposed to a photographic likeness? Also it's easier and more freeing somehow.
2. Also attended First Unitarian Universalist Society ("UU church") via Facebook, then later the congregational meeting via Zoom. (The UU church now has an ministerial intern who handles the Zoom meeting or the people who watch the service via Zoom, because they can't in-person for whatever reason. They've gotten advanced with Zoom, they have all these options now. I'm impressed. Still can't stand watching people talk directly to people on Zoom for very long. I can watch a live stream church service or concert though - where the folks are presenting to a live audience and not well to someone on the other side of a camera.)
At the meeting - I found out a few things.
* The previous minister, who left in a huff back in March, got a severance package that kind of caused a deficit in the church's budget. ( Read more... )
* The divide on the whole Palestine/Israel thing is generational in nature.
( the Palestine/Israel issue in the UU Church )
* The current interim minister is a godsend. I adore them. They are transmale. And endearing. If I ever meet them in person - it may be very hard for me not to hug them.
From this meeting alone - it was clear that this church is conflicted over the Israel/Palestine issue. And there's a lot of tension regarding it.
It's a complicated situation. (We all know that.).
The Interim Minister could have done any number of things to respond to this? They could have done what the previous minister did - which was abdicate entirely, and flee, playing the victim. Or taken a side.
They chose something else entirely.
They came forward and said: "I don't know, but things seem a little tense right now?" Nervous laughter. "So, I suggest we take a brief song break before we vote? I warned our music director prior to suggesting this - so he does know about it." Then they began to sing this song...and asked other's to join in if they knew the words. And one by one people began to sing along...
( two ways of handling a conflict and which worked and why )
3. Slow Down, Said the Turtles...
The Interim Minister's sermon was about slowing down. They said in Malaysia - they were visiting their family, and at one point had to decide between spending time with their Aunt in the Malaysian equivalent of Cincinnati (not that there is anything wrong with Cincinnati) or go with their cousin to visit the Malaysian equivalent of Hawaii. Unable to decide, they went to talk to the turtles. Who basically said, slow down, what's the rush? And honestly, what other response can you expect from a turtle? So they went back to their cousin and told them that after talking to the turtles, they decided to spend more time with their Auntie, who was getting older. Hawaii could wait for another time.
That NYC is so fast...and sometimes, we just need to slow down long enough to see and appreciate and interact with the world around us. I think it's why I'm trying to draw people I see on subways and the street, I want to slow down and see them. I've not quite gotten to the interaction part yet.
___
That and a walk to the grocery store was my day.
The art space or little art studio that I've set up in the corner of my apartment's living room. It used to be my remote from home office - but when they sent us back into the office - I turned it into an artist space.
I plan on becoming a full time novelist and artist when I retire. Now? I do it part time.
( art space )
Here's the one I did of the two women I saw on the subway this past Thursday. I've been trying to draw and paint them for three days. Finally got something. It's not quite what I want it to be - the woman on the right is off. Although I did want to emphasize her large young face. I will most likely try it again.
( painting )
Today, I drew a Bengali Woman that I saw on the street, who is dressed in Muslim garb, albeit not full habib. She was standing in the middle of the sidewalk on her phone, with grocery bags surrounding her.
I do it all from memory - because I like getting the mental impressions, as opposed to a photographic likeness? Also it's easier and more freeing somehow.
2. Also attended First Unitarian Universalist Society ("UU church") via Facebook, then later the congregational meeting via Zoom. (The UU church now has an ministerial intern who handles the Zoom meeting or the people who watch the service via Zoom, because they can't in-person for whatever reason. They've gotten advanced with Zoom, they have all these options now. I'm impressed. Still can't stand watching people talk directly to people on Zoom for very long. I can watch a live stream church service or concert though - where the folks are presenting to a live audience and not well to someone on the other side of a camera.)
At the meeting - I found out a few things.
* The previous minister, who left in a huff back in March, got a severance package that kind of caused a deficit in the church's budget. ( Read more... )
* The divide on the whole Palestine/Israel thing is generational in nature.
( the Palestine/Israel issue in the UU Church )
* The current interim minister is a godsend. I adore them. They are transmale. And endearing. If I ever meet them in person - it may be very hard for me not to hug them.
From this meeting alone - it was clear that this church is conflicted over the Israel/Palestine issue. And there's a lot of tension regarding it.
It's a complicated situation. (We all know that.).
The Interim Minister could have done any number of things to respond to this? They could have done what the previous minister did - which was abdicate entirely, and flee, playing the victim. Or taken a side.
They chose something else entirely.
They came forward and said: "I don't know, but things seem a little tense right now?" Nervous laughter. "So, I suggest we take a brief song break before we vote? I warned our music director prior to suggesting this - so he does know about it." Then they began to sing this song...and asked other's to join in if they knew the words. And one by one people began to sing along...
( two ways of handling a conflict and which worked and why )
3. Slow Down, Said the Turtles...
The Interim Minister's sermon was about slowing down. They said in Malaysia - they were visiting their family, and at one point had to decide between spending time with their Aunt in the Malaysian equivalent of Cincinnati (not that there is anything wrong with Cincinnati) or go with their cousin to visit the Malaysian equivalent of Hawaii. Unable to decide, they went to talk to the turtles. Who basically said, slow down, what's the rush? And honestly, what other response can you expect from a turtle? So they went back to their cousin and told them that after talking to the turtles, they decided to spend more time with their Auntie, who was getting older. Hawaii could wait for another time.
That NYC is so fast...and sometimes, we just need to slow down long enough to see and appreciate and interact with the world around us. I think it's why I'm trying to draw people I see on subways and the street, I want to slow down and see them. I've not quite gotten to the interaction part yet.
___
That and a walk to the grocery store was my day.