Express Yourself Monday

“Great dancers are not great because of their technique; they are great because of their passion.” ~ Martha Graham

“There is a vitality, a life force, an energy, a quickening, that is translated through you into action, and because there is only one of you in all time, this expression is unique.” ~ Martha Graham

To Express is to communicate what you think or feel, by speaking or writing, or in some other way. Consider the various ways that you love to express yourself. Do you love to talk? Do you love to paint? Do you love to dance? Do you love to sing? How about writing? Sculpting? Gardening?

Share with me here at the Red Boa one way that you love to express yourself. If it is writing poetry share a poem. If you love to paint post a photo of one of your works of art or if you love to garden share a photo of something blooming in your space on your web site and share the link in a comment.

One way I love to express myself is by taking an existing object and transforming it into something more with paint, accessories and so forth. An example is the Magic Mirror I embellished for my young 4-year-old daughters. I painted, added jewels and stones, and wrote empowering words on it. This was one of my ways of expressing my love for them as well as share with them ideas of confidence, good self-esteem and self-love.

Recently my great-niece who is about to turn 3-years-old saw the mirror and was enamored with all the sparkles. I am making one for her now too for her birthday.

Here is an adorable video that demonstrates the sheer joy and fun of expressing yourself by singing and dancing while Moving to A Different Beat:

Grateful Monday

I am grateful for photography and the technology that makes it possible, to not only take photographs, but to share them so easily now.

Photographs let us capture moments in time, that otherwise might be forgotten.

I spent some time yesterday looking through old photo albums of mine. Then due to technology being what it is I was able to scan the photos and post them on-line for old friends and family to view too.

Here is a small sampling of the photos I shared:

Flower market in Aix-en-Provence, France where I studied French from 1993-1995.

A group of us in snowy Nice, France in February 1994 for Carnival.

Megan, Me, Nicole, Keziah and Adam posing crazy at a party.

Denine, me and Linda listen intensely to our French instructor.

A reunion in San Francisco of some of us former Aix students.

What are you Grateful for today?

Pray the Devil Back to Hell

Pray the Devil Back to Hell is a powerful documentary. I was incredibly moved by the courage of the Liberian women who stood up and said "No More War!" It is also demonstrates how Peace is an ACTION. It means doing something to make Peace happen. It means speaking up and speaking the truth, even when it is difficult and frightening to do so.

Here is a short trailer for the film:

Inspiring Commencement Speech

JK Rowling's inspiring commencement speech at Harvard University in 2008.

We Are All Meant to Shine!

Photo Monday

"To me, photography is an art of observation. It's about finding something interesting in an ordinary place... I've found it has little to do with the things you see and everything to do with the way you see them." ~ Elliott Erwin

This weekend we had a Rainbow Birthday party for my twin daughters 4th birthday. I made a rainbow cake (the cake was actually a rainbow of colors as I had put gel food coloring into 6 different batches of white cake batter and then layered them in the baking pans) and then covered the outside with rainbow colored frosting too. There was a platter of fruit designed into a rainbow (strawberries for red, cantaloupe for orange, pineapple for yellow and so on....) So with rainbows on my mind I thought sharing a favorite photo where I captured a rainbow being formed by a large prism in a window of our home would be perfect.

Here is a little extra rainbow inspiration:

"The way I see it, if you want the rainbow, you gotta put up with the rain."

~ Dolly Parton

Eva Cassidy singing Somewhere Over the Rainbow:

Do you have a favorite photo you would like to share?

Or look around your space and see if you can find some version of a rainbow and share that too.

(Be sure to leave a comment and post a link to your site.)

Inspired Monday

"Music expresses that which cannot be put into words

and that which cannot remain silent." ~ Victor Hugo

One of the things in life that I find incredibly inspirational is music. I love melodies and I love lyrics. When they are skillfully and beautifully put together I am in awe.

I recently discovered a new band called Gypsy Soul. Cilette Swann the lead singer has a beautiful voice and great stage presence. Guitarist Roman Morykit plays the guitar beautifully and also has a remarkable voice. Their ability to write powerful and touching lyrics is remarkable. Below is the lyrics to one of their songs called Be The Change as well as a video that includes the song. A second video shows the band performing a song called Who.

Is there a particular singer, band, musician or song that inspires you?

BE THE CHANGE

(Cilette Swann / Roman Morykit)

We are flesh and bone and
We are parts unknown
We are ashes, we are dust

We are rogues and kings
We are bold extremes
We are jury, we are judge

We are strength and heart
Though we are miles apart
We are one, we are love

We are hopes and dreams
We are noble beings
We are diamonds in the rough

Have we lost sight of all we are
Forgotten history and its scars
Reduced ourselves to doubt and fear
Given up what we hold dear

Freedom is won and fought
Lives are lost, souls are bought
But lasting freedom lives inside
Within our hearts and in our minds

So, BE THE CHANGE you wish to see
Be the peace that sets you free
Be the love you want to feel
Be the cure that helps you heal

Be the dreams that you desire
Be the spark of your own fire
Be the future you inspire
Be the wings that take you higher

So, BE THE CHANGE you wish to see
Be the peace that sets you free
Be the love you want to feel
Be the cure that helps you heal

Be the dreams that you desire
Be the spark of your own fire
Be the future you inspire
Be the wings that take you higher
BE THE CHANGE you wish to see
Be the peace that sets you free
Be the love you want to feel
Be the cure that helps you heal

Be the dreams that you desire
Be the spark of your own fire
Be the future you inspire
Be the wings that take you higher

Here is a video/photo montage that someone created and included the song Be the Change by Gypsy Soul

Here is another song being performed by Gypsy Soul called Who

It is Friday Night ~ Let's Dance

This is one of the best wedding processions I have ever seen and I have been to a lot of weddings. Love it!

Grateful Monday

"When you are grateful fear disappears and abundance appears."
~ Anthony Robbins

The above quote by Anthony Robbins is very true. Remembering to be grateful has the power to shift one's mood. It has the power to make a glass that once looked half empty, look half full. It is very difficult to remain pessimistic when you take time to look around yourself and consider all that is good and right in your life. Sure there are days where you might feel stretched to write a gratitude list, but even on the worst of days one can still find something to include.

Here is an eye opening video called the Miniature Earth. The idea behind it is that if the world's population was reduced to 100 people it would look like this....



Today I am grateful for:

having all my basic needs met abundantly (food, shelter, clothing)
having clean water to drink and bathe in, as well as indoor plumbing
this beautiful planet called Earth

What are you grateful for on this beautiful Grateful Monday?

Magic Mojo Mondays

Starting Monday there is going to be some Magic Mojo on the Red Boa. There are going to be regular postings on different topics. One Monday it will be "Grateful Monday," the next "Inspired Monday," followed by "Photo Monday," and "Express Yourself Monday" and so on. If you are reading this I hope you will return each Monday to play along. You can post comments and also include links to your own blog or web site and share in the fun! Magic Mojo Mondays are going to be a wonderful way to get the week rocking and rolling in a positive direction. Here is to living our dreams and creating our legendary lives!