Category Archives: Careers

Living the Royal Life

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“The roots of all goodness lie in the soil of appreciation for goodness.”
Dalai Lama

There is tremendous media coverage these days on the upcoming nuptials of Prince William and Kate Middleton. Over the Easter weekend, we talked with our son about all the preparations that are being made at Reelz Channel www.reelzchannel.com  for the broadcast of the Royal Wedding.  Don’t miss the brilliant airing of this very special live event. It is bound to be the Bees Knees. 

Admittedly, I am a groupie of Britain’s Royal Family. I watch every TV special I come across on the history of the monarchy and the family of the Queen of England. I love seeing it all:

  • The carriages
  • The royal garb
  • The swords
  • The royal etiquette
  • The pageantry 

We all know that it doesn’t take being a royal family member to have some of finest things in life. Our own mindset can make the difference between feeling as if we live a life of privilege or not. By recognizing what basics are really important to us in life, and living according to what is true and right within our souls, we can feel as if were given the birth right of a dynasty. The most fulfilling moments come in our lives, when we focus on appreciating the little things. Many of us already have the greatest wealth available without even recognizing it. We are greatly endowed if we have: 

  • Good health
  • Satisfying relationships with family and friends. Non-feuding, I might add!
  • Clean air to breathe
  • Enough food and water to nourish and sustain us
  • Decent shelter over our heads
  • An appreciation of nature and the other gifts the Universe provides. 

If we have common sense enough to know that  happiness is independent of great material ‘ things”, then we are very rich.  Yes,  we can still live a life of  prosperity without great monetary accumulation, indeed!   

My personal invitation for Prince William and Kate Middleton’s wedding has not yet arrived from the royal family. But, thanks to modern day broadcasting, it will be aired so each one of us can attend www.reelzchannel.com. We, in America, can have front row seats from the comfort of our homes. Get up extra early, fix yourself a proper cup of tea, a scone, a biscuit or some kippers, toast and eggs and enjoy! Remember – the key to your dynasty of personal fulfillment is to always treat yourself and others like royalty!!

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Sculpture Artist Works Every Minute, Every Day

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“Enjoy the little things for one day you may look back and realize they were big things.” ~Robert Brault

 I wasn’t kidding last week when I said “I might just go find something fulfilling to do this spring, like play in a big sandbox, so I can once again view the world through the eyes of a child.” This Easter weekend, my husband, our adult son and I had a reunion  in southern Colorado, not too far from the border of New Mexico. We visited San Luis Valley to see  Great Sand Dunes National Park  http://bit.ly/e6KfIw. 

There is an artist in residence at this National Park who works 24/7. She is assisted in her sculpture work by her helpers, the wind, the rain, the freeze and the thaw of the Colorado snow. The changing climate and seasons and the sub-surface aquifer also help to chisel and carve the sand sculpture created by the artist, Mother Earth. One only needs to stand amid this enormous natural sculpture for moments to realize that the sweeping winds change the shape and form of  nature’s art work  from moment to moment. 

The sand dunes at this National Park, surrounded by majestic 14,000 ft mountain peaks are the tallest sand dunes in North America. They measure 750 feet high covering more than 330 square miles. One of the most diverse parks in the country, the elevation ranges from 7,515’ to 13,604.’ It includes one of the rarest natural eco-systems on earth. From mountain peaks to sandy deserts to wetlands, this National Park leaves no doubt in one’s mind that God, the greatest architect in the World, created this glorious site for mankind to enjoy. For more information on how this vast area of sand was deposited in a very remote mountainous area of Colorado, visit http://www.nps.gov/grsa/index.htm. 

In a place where there are not many things to do other than witness the beauty of the Sangre de ChristoMountains(meaning blood of Christ) and the awesome Great Sand Dunes National Park, we filled our Easter baskets with remembering how nice it was to be all together again, as a family of three.

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Filling My Basket

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“From heav’nly thoughts all true delight doth spring.” ~ Thomas Campion 
 
As you will remember from yesterday’s blog, I was bound and determined to go find spring. But there was no need – spring came and found me! 
 
Yesterday, as I took my daily lunchtime walk, I was drawn to a rock along the shoreline of  the Yampa River. I decided to sit and stay awhile. The river flowed loudly and briskly by, waters high from the snowmelt, cascading down from the upper elevations of the Rocky Mountains. As I sat, I began to drift slowly and deeply into my own thoughts of our upcoming Easter reunion with our son. Guess what happened? I was roused by “quack, quack…quack, quack, quack!” Two little mallard ducks floated nearby. Climbing out of the river to greet me, I watched the little ducklings waddle, and peck at the ground looking for earthworms. I thought “these two little ducks have come to give me a message –  be patient, spring is on the way.” 

Often we search only for outward signs of spring – changes in the weather and landscape.  But, in the stillness and silence of a moment, we realize that an awakening of spirit comes from within. We need to listen. Feelings of rejuvenation and renewal can come in unexpected ways and during unanticipated times. 

I am going to take a break from the blogging world. I will return after Easter. I am going to take time to discover subtle changes in my own spirit. I will say goodbye to winter, for once and for all, and allow spring to enter and settle within my soul. I will be spending time with my loved ones making more memories as a family and piling our baskets high with All Things Fulfilling. I will keep you posted as to how my spring unfolds.

 Happy Easter to You! May you find re-birth and renewal in your life,  in your own special way!

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Discovering Spring in Unknown Places

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“Billions and billions of planets and stars are out there, and behind them all are God.” ~ Billy Graham

I’ve been on the lookout, believe me, I have! I am finding few fulfilling signs of spring. From my point of view here in Steamboat Springs, Colorado, signs of the vernal equinox are hard to come by – a paltry showing of spring crocuses emerging out from under the snow, no baby bunnies scurrying in the grass, not even a bloomin’ forsythia in sight. 

But wait! Spring is more than about the sweet aroma of the lilacs, spying speckled robin eggs in a nest and witnessing the unfolding of the fiddlehead ferns. Spring is about rejuvenation and renewal of spirit, too – seeing the world again through the eyes of a child. Stepping out of old routines and starting anew. It means keeping the faith and trusting that a new season will arrive even in times of doubt. 

Have you ever heard the expression when in doubt do the next right thing? Well, that is exactly what I intend to do. I am not going to sit here and wallow in self-pity that spring has not arrived at my back door. I am going to collect myself and move in a positive direction and go find something inspiring. 

Who knows where or what it will be. But, I’ll promise you one thing. Today, I start looking! I am going to discover something  new.  I am going to keep the faith and believe that whatever “it” is will bring new energy and vitality to my life. And the next day after that – who knows!  Maybe I will find a big, huge sandbox to go play in. 

Will let you know exactly how and when a reawakening arrives in my heart and my head. Tune in tomorrow for an update on life as I see it. Stay in touch.

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Patiently Waiting for Bowker

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“All human wisdom is summed up in two words – wait and hope.”  ~ Alexandre Dumas Pere 

The April 15th income tax filing deadline has come and gone. But last Friday, income tax was not at all what I was pre-occupied with. Rather it was publishing statistics that were at the top of my list. I am wondering – is the non-traditional publishing industry still continuing to grow? 

Typically, after the first quarter of the New Year, www.Bowker.com, the storehouse for all bibliographical information, releases its report on the health of the publishing industry for the previous year. On Friday I researched on-line to see whether the 2010 statistics had yet been made available. I can not find them. But I am hopeful that when the truth is known, it will be as positive as for the year 2010 as it was the year before. 

When the 2009 reports were made known in April 2010, I was astonished to learn that despite our country’s economic downturn, the independent publishing industry (non-traditional publishing) had grown at an aggressive rate – up 181% between 2008 and 2009. However, traditional publishing remained flat. 

I am going to cut www.Bowker.com some slack and be patient. After all, just because they released their figures last year by the 15th of April, does not mean I should expect it again this year. It is not even the end of the first quarter yet! 

Perhaps I am justified in thinking optimistically. In business, bad news usually arrives on Fridays. I am going to take the fact that statistics were not published on Friday the 15th, as a positive sign.  What is that terribly over-used expression? “Good things come to those who wait?”

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Choices along Life’s Path

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I don’t paint things.  I only paint the difference between things.  ~Henri Matisse 

Regular readers of this blog site, All Things Fulfilling, know that I made a promise to continue the theme overview of the book Clara and Mr. Tiffany that was begun in the blog writing titled Glassworks Inspired by Nature. http://bit.ly/h0j9Uc. And so we continue: 

Throughout the tale of Clara and Mr. Tiffany, life choices are a recurring dilemma for the main character. There are two issues that Clara struggles with. Many times over, she is forced to examine where her loyalties lie. She can continue her fulfilling work as an artist and follow her truth in life, or free herself from her on-going struggle as a woman trying to gain recognition for her artistry and creativity. The second choice would be to opt out of the “artist’s way” and follow a more conventional path. 

Although a fictional story, Clara also faces a  judgment that many artists in real life find themselves confronted with, throughout their careers – quality of art vs. quantity of production. Many artists feel conflicted when trying to decide whether to commercialize their art or not. There is no right or wrong. It is all a matter of individual choice. 

Decisions such as those that Clara was forced to make, weigh heavily on an artist. Priorities are tested when it comes to making the selection. It can become a tug of  heart between doing right things or doing things right. Have you ever been faced with similar torments in your life? What path did you decide to follow?

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Through the Independent Film Lens

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“Take time for all things: great haste makes great waste”. ~Benjamin Franklin



Mark your calendars! Next week, on Tuesday, April 19th at 10pm Waste Land, can be viewed right from the surrounds of your own home. This film about Brazilian artist Vik Muniz will be aired on the PBS show, Independent Lens. 

On the outskirts of Rio de Janiero sits the world’s largest garbage dump, the Jardim Gramacho. Renowned artist, Vik Muniz sets out to create from the photographs he took of the catadores (garbage pickers), human portraits using recyclables from the dump. 

Despite the garbage picker’s lack of traditional employment and non-existant monetary stability, Muniz witnessed camaraderie and good spirit between this eclectic group of people. Muniz engages the catadores in collaborative work to gather recyclables to create his art, and gives the proceeds from the sales of the finished pieces back to the trash pickers. He raises their living conditions, repairs trucks essential to their work, and even builds a library to help them become more educated. All in all, he creates an environment whereby the trash pickers can have more fulfilling lives. 

This independent film demonstrates how trash from an overly-consuming, throw-away society can be recycled into a project of transformative art. For more information on viewing this powerful film from your area, please visit http://to.pbs.org/2ojlVz.

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Sometimes No is Okay!

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The more information kids have about things that are going on in the world, the better decisions they will make.”~ Deborah Ellis 

This week, April 10 -16, is the annual celebration of the young child. The purpose of the week is to bring the public’s attention on the needs of young children and it is sponsored by the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC). 

There is a book that focuses on educating very young children about the appropriateness of sometimes saying NO! Author Julie K. Federico, a counselor with her Master’s degree from Indiana University, shares her book with young children to educate them that “Some Parts are NOT for Sharing.” Julie believes that the early years are the best years for teaching kids about  personal boundaries to prevent incidents of child abuse. 

This book’s message, endorsed by Kathryn Wells, MD a pediatrician with Denver Health,  is conveyed through age-appropriate language and through illustrations of colorful fish.  “Some Parts are NOT for Sharing” has been made available in Spanish too!  

Parents, April is also National Child Abuse Prevention Month. Practice pro-active parenting by sharing this book with your young child. For more information on this book, geared for children under 4 years of age, please visit www.juliefederico.com. The author is so dedicated to the urgency of educating about child abuse, she shares the book on-line.

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Rockwell Art: All about Community

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All I know is that whatever type of work I do, I try to give it my very best. Art has been my life. ~ Norman Rockwell        

Some of the most recognizable art in history are the illustrations of Norman Rockwell. His work reflects what was most important to him – life in small town America and the people who were integral to the fabric of the community in which he lived. For me, fulfilling thoughts of life in much simpler times are recalled when I see iconic Rockwell images. 

Now, by agreement between Kiwanis International www.kiwanisinternational.org and the Norman Rockwell Licensing Company of Niles, Illinois, outstanding community leaders, recognized by Kiwanis International, can now receive a fulfilling award of a Rockwell-style portrait to grace the walls of their homes. Photographs of Kiwanis Recognition Award recipients are transformed into images by outstanding artists licensed to put the stamp of Norman Rockwell Moments™ www.normanrockwellmoments.org onto their work. 

What a natural and splendid pairing of Kiwanis International and Norman Rockwell Moments™ this is!  Norman Rockwell-style portraits are heirloom gifts to entire families. They are lasting reminders to children, in future generations, of what set their ancestors apart. It was the very same qualities that Norman Rockwell sought in his subjects to paint – people who stood out in their communities. 

Kiwanis aims to bring a new whole generation of young adults into the fold. Maintaining and building strong communities in the 21st century will be as important to this non-profit organization as when the organization began in Detroit in 1914. 

Are you a young adult who believes that community spirit builds a better world? If so, contact your local Kiwanis Club and become a member. Perhaps someday you will be recognized as a community leader!

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Making a Pledge

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 “In the final analysis, the one quality that all successful people have is the ability to take on responsibility.” ~ Michael Korda 

I am making a pledge, right here, right now! I will no longer make generalized statements or assumptions about the media, specifically about newspaper publishing. 

A statement that I often hear is “the media is  just out to get a good story, caring not about the individuals in the story or the sensitivity of the subject they are exposing.” In some circumstances I might agree with this statement. However, last week I gained new insight into the collaborative decisions that are made, by the editor and supporting staff of our local newspaper. 

Once a month the editor and the general manager of our town’s newspaper, The Steamboat Pilot www.steamboatpilot.com, open their doors to their readers, so the community can become more informed about their business. Last week, I attended the “coffee hour” with other community members. I was heartened to learn: 

  • The newspaper staff wants feedback from the community about how they are doing, as a local newspaper.
  • The staff was “all ears.” They wanted to know what stories of community interest should be addressed.
  • The e-format and the print version of the Steamboat Pilot are both popular.
  • The Steamboat Pilot is owned by The World Company of Lawrence, Kansas
  • The reputation of others, in exposing stories of sensationalism or controversy, is of great concern.
  • A democratic process is in place for deciding what newspaper articles will run or not. Note: Sometimes the editor gets over-ruled in the process.
  • Decisions take into consideration what is best for each format- the print version and the e-version of the newspaper.  

Thank you to the staff of the Steamboat Pilot for the opportunity to learn more about your world of newspaper publishing.  I appreciate the fact that you want to hear, from readers, whether the goal of responsible newspaper reporting is being fulfilled by the Steamboat Pilot.  

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