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The Territories of Joy and Sorrow

How does one who lives a wild and untamed life keep the inevitable sadness that goes with such a life at bay? Because, it's true. To live in the fullness of a passionate life that is creative, intentional, in motion and ever-changing, one must be prepared for unexpected risks into the deepest territories of both joy and sorrow. The joy...well, most of us risk-takers know exactly what to do with joy. But the sorrow can be a bit trickier to manage. Either way -  learning to completely embrace either state of being is not for the faint of heart.

T.H. White wrote, in a conversation between Merlin and Arthur in the novel The Once and Future King a bit of wisdom that helps me when I find myself disoriented by fear of the unknown, or despair over the state of the world, or the simple but profoundly intense experience of missing someone I love.

"The best thing for being sad," replied Merlin, beginning to puff and blow, "is to learn something. That's the only thing that never fails. You may grow old and trembling in your anatomies, you may lie awake at night listening to the disorder of your veins, you may miss your only love, you may see the world about you devastated by evil lunatics, or know your honour trampled in the sewers of baser minds. There is only one thing for it then — to learn. Learn why the world wags and what wags it. That is the only thing which the mind can never exhaust, never alienate, never be tortured by, never fear or distrust, and never dream of regretting. Learning is the only thing for you. Look what a lot of things there are to learn.

My current "to learn" list looks something like this:

• a new language
• the fiddle
• more patience and trust
• all the new web-building programs that my boss has asked me to digest
• how to streamline my practical tools (camera, computer, phone). Whew!
• more kindness
• more surrender
• more faith - that all will be well
• and maybe a wee bit of step dancing...because, when I'm truly sad, dancing is a temporary and wonderful remedy.

So that seems like plenty for now. It may not abolish the sadness completely, but it will - at least - keep my wild and untamed fire burning while I wait to turn the next corner into the realm of joy!

 

 

Snapshot!

Yikes! I've been busy, full up, to the rim, nearly overflowing, juggling many plates and multi-experiencing many different activities and time management challenges since starting my new job.

It's all fairly good, but I do miss the daily checking in with my muse and this public journal - better known as blogging. Loosening my grip on this too, is another lesson in surrender. (More to come on that topic when I have some extra minutes to ponder before composition!)

And in the meantime, I thought y'all might like to see the end result of one of my many recent projects, the website: Village Birth and Herbals. 

Stella is quite extraordinary, and I believe you ought to check out her skills and talents. If you're from the Palmer, Alaska area - you're in luck because she is about to be located there for a very long time. If you're elsewhere, you're still in luck because her herbal wares are available by phone order (and soon via a webstore).
I hope you find her site interesting, educational, resourceful and appealing. Drop her a note and let her know you've been there.


Enjoy! ~ mlp

Hanging In

This blogging stuff is an interesting business. What started as a cathartic process to help ease the long days of my boy’s chemotherapy treatment, then evolved into a creative palate and idea platform, and has occasionally merged into community-level public relations spots for clients of my studio.

Turns out my blog page, An Untamed Life On Purpose, has a small following. With the number of daily visitors ranging between 20 and 40 folks, I am grateful for your time and especially appreciate your thoughtful comments. Mainly though, who you all are is a mystery to me, and I enjoy the surprise when someone unexpected reveals that they are a reader!

The other curious wonder about this blog is which posts elicit more attention and responses than others. I was convinced back in mid April, that what people most enjoy are short thought-provoking quotes accompanied by photographs, like “A Simple Quote.”  Nonetheless, the last three entries in April (the three part letter, A Lifetime Love Affair, to my daughter) and May pieces such as, “Standing Fast” showed me that audiences are equally enthusiastic about reflective writing. Other May favorites have included “Supporting Folks We Believe In” (thanks to all Stella’s friends in Palmer, AK for dropping by), the whimsical and mildly interactive “Summertime Checklist” and the purely visual “And Later That Day.”

When I started actively blogging, on Monday, January 11th, I committed to post on weekdays for ninety entries. Today marks the 93rd blog post for Martha Phelps Studio since that day.

Thoreau said, “Things do not change; we change.” I know this wisdom to be true.  It’s no coincidence that as I approached my benchmark of ninety, I was offered a part time job that will, among many things, encourage me to tap into my skills as a writer and creative thinker. It’s part time, which is just right for this juncture. It’s for a local company I respect and admire, which makes it easy to be passionate about. My new “boss” wants me to learn and grow, which makes me feel very happy. And my schedule still gives me freedom for m.l.p. studio clients and the art-making that occurs here during the summer months.

Outside of taking time off to travel every now and then, I’m going to hang in with this blog for as long as it makes me happy. I hope that my readers will hang in too, as well as share it with friends. If there’s something you’d like more of, please let me know. I like a good healthy challenge on occasion! 

All will be well, mlp

For any and all you who may be interested, I have a public Facebook Page whose purpose is positive, unusual and thought provoking quotes and the subsequently interesting exchanges inspired by said quotes. Please visit and become a "Friend" to the page!

A Small Departure

I'm kickin' up my heels and traveling today, and it's important to get on the road early if I want to make that fantastic concert awaiting me at the other end of the highway;

...therefore, this morning you're being offered a couple of blog posts written by two fantastic bloggers whom I follow regularly. 

Clicking on their names will take you to pieces that are especially enjoyable written by Seth Godin and Chris Guillebeau. Should you decide to explore their work, I doubt you will regret it.
Stories and photos from this untamed life on purpose will come again soon!

Have a lovely Wednesday ~ mlp

Damn Issues

Dear friends,
A good Monday morning to you. I was all set to dive into a more creative topic than this, but something up into my in box this morning that changed my topic course.

Apparently, Google blogger (the blog site I use) is having issues with comment postings. (See image below to fully appreciate how I am feeling about this problem!)

How it typically works is someone responds to a blog post, their comment comes to me via email for me to “moderate” the comment (decide whether or not I want to make it public) and then I just click “okay, “ and your comment gets posted under the blog it was in response to.

Your comments and feedback mean a great deal to me. This blog is a labor of love, and I appreciate even knowing that there is even someone out there reading it - much less actually participating in the “conversation” about how I may have sparked a thought or feeling in them.

I’ve yet to delete or reject someone’s comment.

Thank goodness, my dear friend Kris dropped me an email through a different route this morning asking me if her comment has offended me in some way.

Comment....I thought....what comment? Which lead me to discover that the system is flawed, broken or just down - hopefully temporarily, but in the meanwhile, twelve - yup 12 comments have vanished. I’m super bummed. I never got to see them. I was never notified, and worst of all - some of you may think I didn’t want to hear what you had to say. (Once again, please refer to the image below for full effect!)

I really want to hear from you.

Please email me your comments. If you’d like me to keep them private, let me know. Otherwise, I’ll manually add them to the post which they are in response to.

Honestly. Some days I doubt that a single person is reading this, so to know that 12 people chimed in feels very heartening.

Here’s my email: mlp@marthaphelps.com

Looking forward.
Martha

PS If anyone out there feels like experimenting (Jimmy??), please post a comment to this morning's post AND email a copy of your comment to me. That way, I can find out whether or not Blogger has resolved their issue. Damn issues. They have a way of being a real drag on occasion......

Work and Play = Contentment

As has become a part of my pattern, since we're within the first few days of the new month I'll offer a couple thoughts and links about the past month's postings that were "highlights.”

March was a full month, even with a two week hiatus from active posting. There were over 375 unique visits to the Martha Phelps Studio blog page and the visitor counter is starting to push toward the 1000 mark! Thank you all for the honor of being a part of your busy days.

I’d have to say that my favorite post this last month was one that didn’t even appear on my own own blogsite, but the site that was created as a community venue for sharing information about my son’s experience with leukemia. Day One Hundred Ninety-One shares the news and reality that is nearest to my heart and our family.

The posts Faith, Cartoon Sampler and Simple Monday Message are meaningful to me because they include a wide variety of artwork - from images that come through the camera lens to some of the painting I’ve been doing this past year to the whimsy of a quirky sense of humor conveyed through very rough computer-mouse generated cartoons. Making and sharing visual images is a joy.

Once Upon A time in Luning scratches the surface of the journey that was made to Death Valley, CA  - and there are more stories yet to unfold from that adventure, while Extending Life’s Radius was an extremely personal revelation that I took a risk in sharing, but what the heck - how else do we all learn, except by showing up and showing who we truly are?

This whole public journal is a part of the commitment I have made to continue to reinvent myself, even at 47. I loved getting Seth Godin’s blog today, Accepting Limits, where he succinctly talks about this very notion. I hope you’ll take a moment to check it out, and I hope you’ll continue to look in on what is happening here with An Untamed Life On Purpose.

Those of you who are fans through Facebook, thanks for inviting your friends and companions to also become followers. I mainly use that page to post my blog, but also offer regular interesting quotes and (hopefully) provoking questions.

This photo, a new profile shot, was taken by good friend, Jim Schlight. Yes, I really am that happy with a camera in my hands! I hope you all have work and play that make you just as content. 

Have a wonderful day. ~ mlp

Contracts and (Re)negotiations

renegotiate |ˌrēnəˈgō sh ēˌāt|
verb [ trans. ]
negotiate (something) again in order to change the original agreed terms : the parties will renegotiate the price | [ intrans. ] she asked to renegotiate after signing the contract.

If memory serves, the attached note was composed by a seven year old Reid. One day at summer soccer camp pick up, the young YMCA director - with a firm hand gripping my son’s shoulder - approached me with a “concern.” My boy had not only been side-talking while coaches were instructing, but Reid had declared during a match that the officiating "sucked." Clearly this kid was a trouble-maker, and if he intended on returning to camp the next day, a letter of apology would be necessary. The terms were non-negotiable.

Sitting in the car together, Reid explained all of the reasons he was not at fault. He declared that, despite his obvious innocence, he would “write the stupid letter,” but only because he really wanted to keep playing soccer and not because he was admitting guilt.

As a still-novice mother at that point in time, I’m sure I was bugged by Reid’s seeming lack of willingness to accept responsibility for his actions. Now, I look back on the incident with amusement and appreciation for the way he “sucked up” (pardon my language, Coach) and re-negotiated within his own heart and mind so that he could stay in the game that he loved (and  continues to love) so much.

Sometimes, in order to get what we want - or serve the greater good - or make amends - or simply make a shift, we have to accept different terms and conditions. Every day - from business to personal, from political to spiritual, from children to adults - agreements change and new contracts are drafted. It’s maddening in many many ways (just ask any attorney), but it’s part of the human condition. Sometimes the easiest way to accept something that is non-negotiable, is to work a little inner renegotiating and healthy surrender.

This morning, my desire to stay in the game is so great, I am about to back down from the covenant I made with myself to blog continually for ninety weekdays in a row. Since I am the creator of my blogging contract, my own boss - so to speak, this renegotiation has not been a simple or necessarily peaceful process. I’m a tough boss to myself. In the end, I had to call out my inner mediator to successfully seal a new bargain between Martha, the writer and Martha, the hard-assed boss lady. True story.

The result of these new terms: I am taking the next two weeks off from public journaling to make a couple of geographic trips and hopefully, a multitude of creative intangible journeys. There’s essential business and play to attend with my kids and myself during this break, and I want to give each moment my undivided attention. I will return to this written account of my wild untamed life on purpose on Monday, March 29. Meanwhile, I’ll be out there living in it, and I invite you all to do the same!

All will be well ~ m.l.p.

The Thrilling Anxiety Of It All

Okay, I admit it. I’m thrilled and anxious at at once.

First, I’m thrilled by the realization and discovery that - given just an hour or two of solitude a day (along with the willing suspension of perfectionism) - I have a well of creativity to pull small buckets from on a regular basis and make this blog a reality. On the other hand, I’m anxious over the fact that this discovery is now asking me to rearrange the already precious-few hours in the day. (As in: I write, no matter what. I write, even if it means tacking more time onto the day’s end.) Yikes! My muse is a demanding character. Thank goodness!

Second, I’m thrilled that my blogsite welcomed 487 unique visits in the shortest month of the year, and that the studio has fans that I’ve known for years as well as some whom I know not at all. What an amazing combination of compliments! Meanwhile, I’m anxious because everything I read about successful blogging suggests that I’m really going about this in as bassackwards kind of a way possible. (And I’m humored by the fact that this is not at all uncommon for me.)

Third, I’m thrilled that, without a nudge from me but perhaps a giant one from the universe - the studio is picking up business. (Insert photo of me smiling here.) Out of the blue, I’ve been given the opportunity to take some portrait photos and design some promotional materials for folks who I have not only been happy to say “yes” to, but I am honored to support. Nevertheless, I’m anxious that I still have a secret longing for a big sugar daddy or some generous and devoted “sponsor” to swoop in and fund my wild untamed artistic life, as well as send me to Greece for an all-expenses paid writer’s retreat where (I promise), I will continue to post daily poems, beautiful photos and essays that are deeply thought-provoking and inspiring.

Fourth, I’m thrilled that February’s most popular posts yielded: The Boot Collage, Boot Size: Men’s 12, The Soul of My Boots (I guess y’all really liked Boot Week), The Sanctuary of God, and Visual Inspiration. And, the truth is, I’m actually not too anxious that posts: To Do or Not To Do, Tales That Defy Words and Putting It To the Page were the least popular. It’s true, they  touched on more “serious” topics and have fewer illustrations, but I felt great about them so, it’s not that big of a deal.

Fifth and last, I’m thrilled that spring has sprung here in Southern Oregon. I like the light, I like the daphne that is threatening to explode in a aromatic plume at the end of the front porch, I like seeing my youngest’s bare feet with dirt on them, and I like that my high schooler knows exactly how many days until spring vacation. But it's also a fact, I’m feeling anxious as our household heads into a month of new information about my son’s health and the next series of steps in his journey.

So dear friends - whom I know in real time, and who know me in cyber time - here's wishing you all a thrilled, low anxiety, fantastic, madly wildly blossoming, sweet smelling, hopeful, creative, abundant, time-on-pause, kiss the ones you love March. Thanks for visiting this Untamed Life On Purpose. Please make comments. Please share a link or two with your friends. Please breathe deeply. ~ m.l.p.

A Second Taste

Happy February! Three weeks ago, I made the decision to start writing and posting a blog every week day for at least a year (and yes, I reserve the right to renegotiate this "contract" with myself." Let me just say, so far - this is both a very large commitment (that I may have been being far too romantic about) and an artistic surprise - in regard to what has shown up.

Understanding the magnitude of this blogging commitment is obvious: Writing daily is tough, but making it worth sharing with others is damned hard. Poet, William Stafford, when explaining how he managed to be so prolific, said: “Every day I get up and look out the window, and something occurs to me. Something always occurs to me. And if it doesn’t, I just lower my standards.” Clearly, I have a long way to go to even meet the lowest of Stafford’s standards, but with nothing to lose except my sense of humor and a creative heart that is aching to cut loose, I’m game to give it a go.

The surprise part is that -- what started out as a container for exploring some unusual changes and challenges in my life (a child with a cancer diagnosis, single parenting three kids, revamping a career into something that has yet to fully materialize) has become resistant to definition. For the time being, the art of sharing daily aka blogging is a practice in surrendering to the creative process. This is about accepting as well as trusting that, whether I’m posting a poem or a reflective essay on family or an image captured through my lens, I’m on the right track and all will be well.

In the past month, this blog page has published on several topics. Insights on the “new normal”  life we’re living at our house since my son was diagnosed with leukemia are shared in Too Revealing, At The Sound Of The Tone, “Please Drain Tub”, New Math, What NOT To Say To Someone With Cancer, and The Salt Shaker.

There are some more artistic posts including poetry, fiction and visuals, such as Everything Essential, Old Wounds, Peppers in the Wine Aisle, Exploring The World, Photo Share, and Words & Art.

And finally, I also write a bit about the actual blogging process and my local life in The Making of A Groove, Care To Comment? and "Oh My God...How Risky." 

I can’t make any promises about what this month’s posts will contain, but I can tell you that the more that I write - the more that shows up in my head looking for a way out.  

You can participate in this Untamed Life On Purpose, by leaving comments at the bottom of any post. Your insights and ideas are important - not just to me, but to others who may be following along. You can also subscribe to this blog via the widgets along the left side panel of the page, share on Facebook,Tweeter or email posts to friends. And please be sure to link back to your own site if you have one, because I want to support you, too!

"We write to taste life twice." ~ Anais Nin

Care to Comment?

Writers write for myriad reasons, including but not exclusively: to be read, to invoke, provoke, inspire and entertain. Most blog writers appreciate getting comments on their posts, and while a number of my readers respond either via Facebook or email, there are some who like commenting directly on my blog page. An advantage of having comments left on the actual page is that a conversation begins to unfold that includes other readers. Readers inspire and give one another courage to use their voices. Also, I then have an active archive of responses, which is valuable feedback.

This “How To” post is offered today for those who want to leave comments on my blog site. Hopefully, by following these steps, you can successfully engage in blog commenting not only on Martha Phelps blog, but other intriguing sites also.

Step 1) At the bottom of any blog entry, there is either an empty field (looks like a blank box) entitled “Post A Comment”  or there is a line that says when the blog was posted and the word "comments" highlighted. (Sometimes there is a number after the word "comments" showing how many comments have been made on that particular post.)

Step 2) Either click in the box/field and begin typing, or click on the highlighted word “comment” which will then create the “Post a Comment” Box - in which you can start typing.

Step 3) Let’s say your comment is “Gee! I didn’t know this. Thanks for posting.” So, you type that in.

Step 4) Next, just under the comment box are the words “Comment As:”  with a tab that reads “select profile.” If you click on the “select profile” tab, you’ll get a drop down menu with choices like: Google account, Live Journal, Word Press, Type Pad, AIM, Open ID, Name/URL, Anonymous. Your profile is your identity.

NOTE: Selecting Name/URL is probably your best choice, as you can simply type in your name in the "Name" field and then click "Post Comment."

If you select anonymous, then (duh) I won’t know who wrote to me. Anonymous posts make that challenging - though not impossible to have virtual conversations. Be brave. Let me know you’ve stopped by!

Step 5) Now. whether you hit the "Preview" tab or the "Post Comment" tab, you’re going to be asked to do a word verification. This is where there are a bunch of scrambled letters in odd shapes, sizes, upper and lower case that you are supposed to read and type into the required field. This is to prove you are a human being and not some mean-spirited computer out there in cyber world. In a nutshell, this step helps reduce viruses and spamming. It’s a good thing.

Step 6) After having done the word verification and clicking submit, you will receive a notice that reads “Your comment will be visible after approval.” The comment then comes to me via email, and I read it and post it for all to enjoy.

Easy!

Just as you are one reader at your computer screen so are most blog writers. We prefer constructive criticism, lively debates, alternative thoughts, hearing that you liked what you read, and gifts of chocolate and wine more than negativity. I reserve the right not to post comments that are clearly inappropriate or offensive, especially if they are anonymous.

I look forward to hearing from you soon!

The Making of a Groove

Before one can actually "get into the groove" there needs to be one in existence.

I was kindly informed by a follower yesterday that my pieces are too long. I agree, and beg allowances and forgiveness due to the infamous learning curve of one trying something new.  

While I've read that the "best" blogs are about 250 words, I suspect that the length of my entries will fluctuate according to topic, degree of motivation and/or opinion and time. Every blog is unique and their purposes vary. I sense that one of the natures of this particular blog is that it bend toward organic and liberated spontaneity.  Because my platform is the untamed life I'm currently experiencing, and particularly the situation of having a family member with a cancer diagnosis, there's a huge degree of "let's see what shows up today" in this exercise (and I mean that literally, metaphorically, and on multiple levels of this blog's purpose).

Be the entries long or short, it's tough to fathom what insights I can possibly share, or who may be interested, or if I'm skilled and articulate enough to produce something worthwhile for another. I'm committing to this process, and although I have no idea where it will lead,  I hope it will be positive. Seth Godin he says that he believes writing a blog is "a lot like curating a sound on the saxophone. Training helps, listening to records helps, but mostly you blow a lot until you resonate and then repeat, prune, experiment, prune, repeat, prune until a groove occurs."

I've started curating.