She got a red stripe on her way to earning a red belt.  After that comes black!  I’m proud of her and her accomplishments.  It’s hard to believe that my youngest child in another week can no longer be called “child”.  Another milestone to be reached for her (and me) when she enters the teen years. Technically speaking, she’s not my “baby” anymore but she always will be. (Sorry Jenna…)

There seems to be that accepted “thing” which says teen years are horrible, teenagers are a pain, fresh, unruly, irresponsible, unccommicative, you name it, it’s been said.

You know what? I don’t subscribe to that.  I am not going to make it a self-fulfilling prophecy.  Teens can be moody, I grant you that.  They’re also going through puberty and growing up in what can be a challenging society and figuring out their own place in this world.  I’d be moody too! 

BUT… they can be fun, outside the box thinkers because they don’t want to do it the same way as their parents did! (though sometimes mom does have it right, pure commonsense)  Thing is, if it’s not dangerous or life threatening or will hurt someone, there’s nothing wrong with exploration, within safe limits of course. Sometimes it does end up coming down to realizing mom was right, and sometimes the old dog (aka mom) has a few new tricks to learn still.  I’m ok with that, I know that i haven’t learned everything I need to know.. the day I decide I have nothing else to learn, the gravesite is there waiting for me!

For now, I’m trying to decide if I’m motivated enough to make Snickerdoodles.  I think a bowl of ice cream will win though, and will make them next weekend instead.

I sit here thinking that I should utter something WISE but I’m drawing a complete blank. Sometimes that happens when I’ve got a blank canvas, piece of paper, surrounded by all the artist tools – yet that canvas remains stubbornly empty.  I think everyone who creates runs head on at one point or another into that dreaded state of mind called THE BLOCK.

Terrifying? No…  Frustrating? Oh yea.

The Muse. In Greek mythology as defined in the Encyclopedia Brittanica online, it’s defined as a group of sister goddesses of rather ancient origin, perhaps holding contests for singing and dancing called Museia (with the root being ‘muse’ and I like it in ‘museum’ better). In the Mirriam-Websters dictionary as a verb, it’s described as being “lost in thought”. (or have I lost my mind?) 

Ahah! The definition of Muse as a noun is the spirit that is thought to inspire a poet or other artist or the source of genius or inspiration.  In short, “the Muse”.

My Muse left me however. (Desertion!  Oh how cruel be thy name…)  It (she/he?) hasn’t seen fit to grace me with it’s company tonight.  So, instead of writing an article/story that I wanted, I sit here writing a blog post on my missing muse!

It’d be easier to moan about the state of political affairs, the ever-climbing unemployment rate, the nit-picking lobbying for a (national? or socialist?) health plan which we need some form of for the millions without insurance but not in the format proposed, to the man who spent 25 years in prison for a crime he didn’t commit.  Paraphrasing words on issues that in five years few will care about and in 10 will be lost in obscurity but RIGHT NOW, (get your tickets quick for this one-time speciallllll performance!),  it’s larger than life.  

Well, I’m not motivated or inclined to write about these things. Playing Mafia Wars is more entertaining!  That’s pretty sad when a Facebook game that’s already beginning to bore me is more interesting.

I think there was supposed to be a point to this blog, but I’m not sure what it is.  I suppose it really is more of an exercise in picking up the pen (aka keyboard) to let the thoughts in my mind flow out to my fingers.  It’s been a while since I did that, and even though I know how to ‘write’, expressing myself in a creative format does take practice.  Or rather, when unused for a while, needs a gust of wind or a few to blow out the cobwebs. 

Artwork can be like that too! So too, can be the spirit, motivation, drive to work one’s own businesses as well.  In the famous and oft quoted words of Scarlett from Gone With The Wind, “After all, tomorrow is another day!”