First say to yourself what you would be; and then do what you have to do.
- Epictetus.
Epictetus was a Greek Stoic philosopher. (His life was quite interesting - here's a link to the Wikipedia page about him).
I could write pages about the dozens of ideas in this simple sentence of his, but I think it's better if great words are left to stand alone sometimes.
30 May, 2010
27 May, 2010
Autumn Showcase
Autumn Fires
Robert Louis Stevenson
In the other gardens
And all up the vale,
From the autumn bonfires
See the smoke trail!
Pleasant summer over
And all the summer flowers,
The red fire blazes,
The grey smoke towers.
Sing a song of seasons!
Something bright in all!
Flowers in the summer,
Fires in the fall!
And all up the vale,
From the autumn bonfires
See the smoke trail!
Pleasant summer over
And all the summer flowers,
The red fire blazes,
The grey smoke towers.
Sing a song of seasons!
Something bright in all!
Flowers in the summer,
Fires in the fall!
Here in New Zealand, May is the end of Autumn. In tribute to my favourite season, here, for your perusal, is a selection of beautiful, handmade items from my fellow sellers on Felt.co.nz.
May you stay warm and content in the coming Winter!
25 May, 2010
Chris Guillebeau and the Art Of Non-Conformity
A few weeks ago I discovered a blog called The Art Of Non-Conformity. It is written by a travel writer and entrepreneur named Chris Guillebeau, and if you are at all interested in living a life that is neither normal, boring, average, ordinary, nor expected, I urge you to read it.
His tone is humble, softly-spoken, and gracious, but Chris is on a mission to change the world, and to help other people change the world and realise their dreams. In his quiet, non-confrontational way, he presents two ideas that are both radical and simple: firstly, that we don't have to live our lives the way other people expect us to; and secondly, that it is possible to follow our dreams, earn money, AND help others, all at the same time.
Most of us have been taught that the latter is too good to be true. And some of us have always known, deep down inside, that that is a lie. Why can't we help others, do what we love to do, and get paid for it? Where in the universe is that written? And who says that we can't rewrite it?
I have subscribed to Chris's twice-weekly E-mails and read two (so far) of his free e-books. A link to his blog, The Art Of Non-Conformity, is on the left of this web page. If you are an artist, I recommend his free e-book A Brief Guide To World Domination. Chris uses the metaphor of taking over the world to express the idea that you can have it all: money, fulfillment, and a good conscience. This isn't some motivational tract or hollow, feel-good spiel. It is intelligent, practical, well thought-out, and every word rings true.
In fact, I don't think it matters whether you're an artist, an entrepreneur, a traveller, or something else entirely. If you want to lead a extraordinary life, Chris Guillebeau has something you should listen to.
23 May, 2010
The Whole Point Of This Blog
Welcome.
Welcome to me, and to you. Welcome to my blog. I’ve spent several weeks fussing with the layout and trying to decide exactly what I want this blog to be about. (Perfectionism is a pain sometimes! It makes it hard to get anything done.) I've decided that there are three things I want to do with this blog.
Like many artists, I am trudging/fumbling/charging my way through the world in an attempt to have it all: the satisfaction of doing what I love, and enough money to live the lifestyle I want. It doesn’t seem that much to ask, but if you are an artist then you will know that sometimes the whole world seems to want to prove right the people who told you that you could never have both your art and enough money to live without having to sell any limbs. This blog is aimed primarily at artists who, like me, are trying to make a living from their art.
In effect, I will be sharing three things.
1. The resources that I have found helpful, and my own experiences that have taught me something. (But I'll be leaving out the really embarassing bits. 'Cause that's best.)
2. A window on my work, because it is the centre of my aforementioned plot to make a living, and the work of other artists, because I find others' work to be very inspiring. I have found it very encouraging to meet, through the mighty and vast Interwebs (yes, I do speak lolspeak occasionally), other ‘handmade people’ who are trying to do what I’m doing.
3. The wisdom of others. We rely too little on the wisdom of those who have been there, done that, thought about it, and come to a helpful conclusion. “Learn from the mistakes of others. You can’t live long enough to make them all yourself.” (Eleanor Roosevelt.)
So that is what this blog is all about: learning from others, and listening to yourself, while you plot to take over the world chase your dream.
Thanks for joining me. I hope it turns out to be worth your while.
(And mine, come to think of it.)
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
