My upcoming art project - Exodus

My art group, ORA [http://www.northwestjewishartists.org], was asked to mount a 2 week show at the Oregon Jewish Museum [http://www.ojm.org] and we chose an Exodus theme.

For months my mind had been a blank on what and how to do this. Then in December I remembered that my son had asked me to write down some tidbits about my life as he was interested in "things I used to do" - so for him - I had started that... He even gave me a sort of title: From Cambria Heights to Portland. In addition, over the last few years I have been sorting through family and my own photos - over 70 years of pictures - yow!

Then it hit me! It was exactly 40 years between my leaving New York City and arriving in Portland...that could not be a coincidence I said. And voila - From Cambria Heights to Bridgeton Road: my 40 year journey to the promised land - was born!

At least it the idea was there -but no logistics - except my mind was focused on maps and photos. I yelled "help" to old friends and new for over a month - and suddenly the other day one local friend came up with an idea from a magazine she was looking at - and I then put out a "help" request on a mastermind business call that same night. Guess what - a woman on the call had seen something similar to the magazine idea with an added component - and so the planets aligned for me - the two ideas gelled and I am now in the process of putting the idea onto foam boards that will be hung in the Museum this Sunday for the opening next week!

There really are no coincidences - I have always been a believer in the idea that everything fits together and this sure is an example... This display is an abridged version of the journey - there are several of us in ORA and the museum is not spacious...so I am thinking of later doing an ebook using many more of my writings and photos and dedicating it to my son...

Will take photos of the museum project and post them here...

The birthday came [and went]

I just had my 68th birthday - and had a birthday party too. I was so glad I decided to change thoughts about doing a party.

Friends and neighbors came - many bearing food and wine [learned here that asking people not to bring anything falls on deaf ears] so we ate and ate and had some good wines and many deserts. This morning I found some deserts that had gotten placed in safe spots and never made it to the table...Safe is needed as my dog's mouth reaches all surfaces and even so - he helped himself to some food that got too near the edge of the table : o ) [and given the chewed wine corks I guess he tried those as well]

So for someone who dislikes her own birthday parties it was worth doing. I felt very lucky not only to be alive but to be surrounded by such neat caring people. Guess I'll have to plan parties for a few more years to come as the candles were a 6 and an 8 - and someone suggested that I can re-use them for my 86th!

So here's to that 86th birthday party!

Aging Women

I have begun to volunteer at a local community radio station [KBOO] and will be involved in the programming for International Woman's Day on March 8th. Although first observed in the United States, it has become pretty unknown here...You can read about the day here: http://www.internationalwomensday.com/default.asp.

At the brainstorming meeting we all put in thoughts as to the day of programming and how it might proceed. Many topics had to do with the fact that women are most often the caretakers of children, family, aging parents, pets, etc. But when women age, they are relegated to nursing homes where they are attended to by underpaid women in under staffed facilities and basically forgotten.

Back in October I was on a program at the station discussing Women and Power. I won't repeat my comment her as it was an hour long show. But my basic premise is/was that women have power which is why men have trouble allowing women to express that power and feel a need to suppress ALL women.

In the USA we have fewer women in government that most other nations. And from my point of view the women in power feel they have to act like men in order to retain their power. So they do not help in the ways that women are best at and that affects the aging of women in our society.

This discussion on Women and Power will continue on January 25 - this coming Friday at 6 PM PST [on KBOO]. You can listen via radio if in Oregon or online anywhere in the world by going to http://www.kboo.org and clicking listen live at the top of the page.

I will talk about our current election scenario as we have a woman running for president and she is subjected to all manner of nasty comments, the death of Bhutto, aging and lack of power - and as listeners call in, other topics will be generated.

Back on Track

This year started with my being so busy I not only did not exercise I did not post to this blog...

I am a firm believer in do as I say - not as I do : - )

It's much easier to be the one dispensing advice than it is to take advice - something I figured out a while ago.

I was trying to help a friend with some marketing ideas and some other friends with weight management issues.
What did I tell them? DO DO DO...but while advising them to DO - I was not DOing my own stuff!

So this week I am back to doing - went to the health club, did more working on my own business and art project and got some mess under control.

My art group will have a show at the Oregon Jewish Museum in February and the theme is Exodus.... I decided to make mine my own story of my 40 years between leaving New York and arriving in Portland. Not sure yet how it will be displayed - or even what exactly I will display - but the 40 year journey seemed more than a simple coincidence.

In the last few weeks I have been sorting through decades of photos - family photos, some of my many trips, different places I have lived, pets I have had - and some of this trip through photo-nostalgia is sad...some happy...and most amazing!

You know those photos and slides you never labeled because you were so sure you would always remember that person? that place? that flower? that tree? that river? mountain? waterfall?

Guess what? Even when a date is stamped on the slide - I am not too sure where it was taken or of what....The older photos from my early years into my teens are of people no longer recall - even when there is a name associated with the picture.

Some photos I have were taken of and by my mother - many from before she was married and some from after. [As I was the photobug I got the box and albums of her photos.] Now I wish I had sat down with her and had her recall more about her life...she lived to be 95 but I never spoke with her with the photos in hand - even when she was visiting for weeks on end. We talked about it - but it always seemed here would be time to do this - at some other time....

The moral of all the above? DO and do it now...

New? scam styles for 2008

I guess people caught onto the heir scams, the constant spam about winning billions, the IRS refund scams and so now we have a newer take on all these.

Among the current crop of emails are a new batch from dying persons allegedly in hospitals who want to give away all their money but are too sick to do so and can't seem to contact their estate attorneys - but they have computers, Internet access and all and are quite able to use them...Okay - but after a few of the same sob stories it does gets tiresome - hey but at least the dead husband emails have stopped.

Another batch are from those thanking me for contacting them and letting me know they have my money in escrow just awaiting my contacting them again including, of course, a strangely titled fee and verifying my address...Sure - like I ever contact you to being with [But I guess enough people do this to make it wort their while.]

And those scammers who warn me that scammers are out there and to be careful - but letting me know they are not scammers like those others!

But best of all I like the new end notes on the spammers emails - they only want me to buy into their business and tell me that they are not spamming and if I click on a particular link I will be removed and then - in serious tones - they tell me that any alleging that an email like theirs is spam - is engaging in illegal activity and link you to this "law."

I clicked thru on one of the remove me links - I usually don't - but it went nowhere. And their link to the law does not say what they state - but I am guessing they scare off a lot who might report them. I don't deal with the individual spammers but I sometimes alert senders that have bought into a spamming system. Many thank me and say they are just buying "leads" - usually sold under false pretenses so I figure they are business newbies and need warnings.

Ah - life on the Internet - I have become a techie, love the online world, and know where my delete buttons are...

Happy 2008

Four days into this new year and I feel it's going to be a good one - for all of us!

So here's to everyone enjoying a healthy happy financially secure year in 2008 !