Tag Archives: interpretation

31 Days of Randomness- Personal Inspiration 8 – Mocking Pressure and a Happy Day

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In continuation of my 31 days of randomness – Day – Mocking Pressure – Happy

There is nothing that makes me happier than to be able to multi-task. Getting more than one thing done at a time and finishing early is one of the true joys in my life. So in honor of this weeks Daily Press Weekly Photo Challenge Happy, I will be combining my 8th day of staying on topic with Mocking Pressure which also makes me happy. I hope you enjoy.

Happy Day in Panama

Good Food Makes Me Happy

Good Friends at the Panama Canal = happy day

TINY WISDOM: ON LETTING GO OF PRESSURE

by Lori Deschene

“The only pressure I’m under is the pressure I’ve put on myself.” -Mark Messier

There are a lot of things we can’t control in life–dramas that will unfold around us, circumstances that will seem overwhelming, fires that appear impossible to put out. We can’t ever stay on top of everything, but it gets a lot easier if we remember to breathe and take it all one step at a time.

We don’t need to solve everything right now. We don’t need to take responsibility for fixing everyone’s problems. We also don’t need to have all the answers. We just need to do what we can and then let ourselves recharge until it’s time to do again.

(joss stone under pressure)

(happy feet under pressure)

(don’t worry be happy)

This all started from a random site I found called thenester.com. Apparently there is a group of people who have committed to posting a topical theme a day for 31 days. 31 Dayers 2012
New to The Daily Post? Whether you’re a beginner or a professional, you’re invited to get involved in our Weekly Photo Challenge to help you meet your blogging goals and give you another way to take part in Post a Day / Post a Week. Everyone is welcome to participate, even if your blog isn’t about photography.

Some included happy posts:

  1. Weekly Photo Challenge: Happy | Ouch!! My back hurts!!
  2. Weekly Photo Challenge: Happy | travelbugdownunder
  3. Happy Help « Broken Light: A Photography Collective
  4. Top Posts — WordPress.com
  5. photography ~~ happy (weekly photo challenge) | vintage french chic
  6. Things that Make Me Happy « JF Records
  7. Mouse Maze | artistisk
  8. Weekly Photo Challenge: Happy!!!! | Simply Charming
  9. WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLANGE – HAPPY « Dear Bliary
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31 Days of Randomness- Personal Inspiration 4 – Masks and faces

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In continuation of my 31 days of randomness – Day 4.  Masks and faces.

As Halloween approaches I have 2 takes on this day of inspiration.  They both relate to masks and faces.. a fitting tribute to halloween.  The first though is about the masks and faces that we wear to fit in.  In to what?  Society, school, friendships, marriage, parenthood?  What are we all trying to fit into? The 2nd is all about the costume.

My first inspiration revolves around removing the masks that hide me from who I really am.  This requires an acceptance from myself for myself.  I mostly have done this and have been told quite boldly at times that maybe I shouldn’t remove the entire mask.. ha.. It’s said in good fun and taken that way.  It is true that sometimes partial masks are necessary.  You can’t deny this fact.  The expression, “Let it all hang out.”  Should more often than not be used in complete moderation.

However, it is my opinion that the masks that hide exactly who we are by nature should be removed completely.  Toss them to the curb and carry on smartly. As my younger sister used to say.. “Hold your head high sistah.. hold it high.”

Please Hear What I’m Not Saying

Jester maskDon’t be fooled by me.
Don’t be fooled by the face I wear
For I wear a mask, a thousand masks,
Masks that I’m afraid to take off
And none of them is me.

Pretending is an art that’s second nature with me,
but don’t be fooled,
for God’s sake don’t be fooled.
I give you the impression that I’m secure,
that all is sunny and unruffled with me,
within as well as without,
that confidence is my name and coolness my game,
that the water’s calm and I’m in command
and that I need no one,
but don’t believe me.

My surface may be smooth but
my surface is my mask,
ever-varying and ever-concealing.
Beneath lies no complacence.
Beneath lies confusion, and fear, and aloneness.
But I hide this. I don’t want anybody to know it.
I panic at the thought of my weakness exposed.
That’s why I frantically create a mask to hide behind,
a nonchalant sophisticated facade,
to help me pretend,
to shield me from the glance that knows.

But such a glance is precisely my salvation,
my only hope, and I know it.
That is, if it is followed by acceptance,
If it is followed by love.
It’s the only thing that can liberate me from myself
from my own self-built prison walls
from the barriers that I so painstakingly erect.
It’s the only thing that will assure me
of what I can’t assure myself,
that I’m really worth something.
But I don’t tell you this. I don’t dare to. I’m afraid to.

maskI’m afraid you’ll think less of me,
that you’ll laugh, and your laugh would kill me.
I’m afraid that deep-down I’m nothing
and that you will see this and reject me.

So I play my game, my desperate, pretending game
With a façade of assurance without
And a trembling child within.
So begins the glittering but empty parade of Masks,
And my life becomes a front.
I tell you everything that’s really nothing,
and nothing of what’s everything,
of what’s crying within me.
So when I’m going through my routine
do not be fooled by what I’m saying.
Please listen carefully and try to hear what I’m not saying,
what I’d like to be able to say,
what for survival I need to say,
but what I can’t say.

I don’t like hiding.
I don’t like playing superficial phony games.
I want to stop playing them.
I want to be genuine and spontaneous and me
but you’ve got to help me.
You’ve got to hold out your hand
even when that’s the last thing I seem to want.
Only you can wipe away from my eyes
the blank stare of the breathing dead.
Only you can call me into aliveness.
Each time you’re kind, and gentle, and encouraging,
each time you try to understand because you really care,
my heart begins to grow wings —
very small wings,
but wings!

With your power to touch me into feeling
you can breathe life into me.
I want you to know that.
I want you to know how important you are to me,
how you can be a creator–an honest-to-God creator —
of the person that is me
if you choose to.
You alone can break down the wall behind which I tremble,
you alone can remove my mask,
you alone can release me from the shadow-world of panic,
from my lonely prison,
if you choose to.
Please choose to.

Do not pass me by.
It will not be easy for you.
A long conviction of worthlessness builds strong walls.
The nearer you approach me
the blinder I may strike back.
It’s irrational, but despite what the books may say about man
often I am irrational.
I fight against the very thing I cry out for.
But I am told that love is stronger than strong walls
and in this lies my hope.
gold maskPlease try to beat down those walls
with firm hands but with gentle hands
for a child is very sensitive.

Who am I, you may wonder?
I am someone you know very well.
For I am every man you meet
and I am every woman you meet.

By Charles C. Finn

FOOTNOTE   Taken from John W. Johnston website. To enjoy more Charles C. Finn poems, visit www.poetrybycharlescfinn.com

Now onto my 2nd inspiration.  Inspired to dress up for halloween.  Random costumes that I really, really liked with enough time to try to re-create one.

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This all started from a random site I found called thenester.com.  Apparently there is a group of people who have committed to posting a topic a day for 31 days.  31 Dayers 2012
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Sunday Post: Many people and a dog – Peru

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Jakesprinter has posted another great Sunday Post theme Sunday Post:  People.  It’s ironic and interesting as I was just preparing to post some of my favorite people pictures from Peru.  Looking forward to seeing interesting representations around the world relating to people. HAPPY SUNDAY POST.

The following are some of my favorite pictures of people that I took while on my trip in Peru.  There is currently an apparent strong divide between the variety of ethnic groups that have inhabited Peru since before the 1500’s and the Spanish conquests.  This fact accounts for the many differences in culture and even in looks. Peru is the only South American country which continues to host the maximum percentage of native people.

About 45% of the entire population is comprised of indigenous people.  Of course I found the “pueblos indígenas”  more interesting to photograph and so follows my favorite photos.  I hope you enjoy.

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Travel Theme: White

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Peace is Possible

International Day of Peace celebrated its 30th anniversary in 2011. Although it was first celebrated in 1982, it was established in 1981.

The following photos and songs exemplify peace to me or at the very least leave me with peaceful feelings.  During my travels through Korea, China, Cambodia, Thailand and Peru I found several photographic examples that were white or represented peace.  I hope you enjoy.

Sooner or later all the people of the world will have to discover a way to live together in peace, and thereby transform this pending cosmic elegy into a creative psalm of brotherhood. If this is to be achieved, man must evolve for all human conflict a method which rejects revenge, aggression and retaliation. The foundation of such a method is love. – MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR

These bells on a white temple in Thailand when rang sent off a beautiful melody that resounded deep in my heart giving me a peaceful feeling.

There never was a good war, or a bad peace. – BENJAMIN FRANKLIN

Stacking rocks in Korea was an act of meditation which was meant to bring about a peaceful feeling.. though in honesty, I didn’t always feel peaceful while attempting this feat.. it was harder than it appeared.

Peace can become a lens through which you see the world. Be it. Live it. Radiate it out. Peace is an inside job. – WAYNE DYER

A white temple in Cambodia seen through the cracks of another temple was inspiring. Many of the temples had incense and candles burning in them so when you walked through them sometimes almost making you swoon.

After a long, hopeless war, people will settle for peace, at almost any price. -SALMAN RUSHDIE

In Cambodia and most of the Asian Countries I have visited almost of the walls and doorways had amazing and intricate details of worshiping or praying images.

If you don’t know the guy on the other side of the world, love him anyway because he’s just like you. He has the same dreams, the same hopes and fears. It’s one world, pal. We’re all neighbors. – FRANK SINATRA

In Korea the white balloon symbolized peace and freedom and often these balloons were let loose into the air with candles inside so the white would glow bright and high into the sky.

Find peace in where and what you are. – CHRISTOPHER PAOLINI

Symbols of meditation and peace are spread throughout Japan.

At the heart of happiness lies peace. It is the last and the highest attainment of the soul. – HUGH BLACK

White statute in Korea.. solitary.. meditative..

If you don’t have peace, it isn’t because someone took it from you; you gave it away. You cannot always control what happens to you, but you can control what happens in you. – JOHN C. MAXWELL

White Cambodian Temple with brightly colored monk walking in front.

Peace is Possible

We’re trying to sell peace, like a product, you know, and sell it like people sell soap or soft drinks. And it’s the only way to get people aware that peace is possible, and it isn’t just inevitable to have violence. Not just war — all forms of violence. People just accept it … [but] We’re all responsible for everything that goes on, you know, we’re all responsible for Biafra and Hitler and everything. So we’re just saying “SELL PEACE” — anybody interested in peace just stick it in the window. It’s simple but it lets somebody else know that you want peace too, because you feel alone if you’re the only one thinking “wouldn’t it be nice if there was peace and nobody was getting killed.” So advertise yourself that you’re for peace if you believe in it.

JOHN LENNON

Solitary cross at the top of a hill in front of a church in Peru.

If you would like to join in this travel theme in honour of the International Day of Peace, here’s what to do:

Create your own post and call it Travel Theme: White. Put a link to this page in your post so others can find it. Don’t forget to subscribe to keep up to date on the latest weekly travel themes.

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Taking it to the Streets – Peruvian Style Street Art

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POR FIN!! I know this will be a shock to some in locations that are more technologically stable, but it took literally 3 days to upload these few pictures.  That’s the thing about technology.. when it works it’s amazing and when it doesn’t we all begin to feel a little doomed.  I know, I know.. a bit dramatic.

Speaking of dramatic.. (nice lead in right).. Some of the street art / graffiti in Peru did in fact carry that title quite proficiently.  As you might have noted from one of my past blogs regarding street art I am a bit fixated on random artistic street art.  Some of the following pictures are definitely typical graffiti and some of the pictures show how amazing and beautiful this type of expression can be.  I think even some of the most basic graffiti can look amazing when presented in a different language.  Same when someone says something to you with an accent right? Tell me I’m wrong.. go ahead..  Enjoy..

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