So What?

How many times have I heard...

What's the bottom line?

Why do I care?

Where's the so what?

I'll tell you what.

no care
             no line
no

b
o
t
t
o
m
|
|
;
:
.

Miles of horn
A cold train base
A raspy symbol

and the so what.

Manifestos? What?

Manifestos seem to be hailing in an increasingly disturbing frequency and size in my neck of the woods. I've been seeing them everywhere. (Is that a hint?)

So what's a manifesto? I keep thinking Manifest destiny. EEEK!This is what Wikipedia says about manifesto (definitely not the same as mainfest destiny):

• Latin root word: manifestum. Clear and concise
• Comes to english from the Italian word "manifesto"

So manifesto is really Latain Italian word. Neat. In the business world we call this a vision or a mission statement. <Barf> and very helpful in the context of business, profit, and the pursuit of whatever.

As a manifesto I see these written in posters like Holstee's manifesto about "Life" or go check out these examples at Life Hack.

What's your manifest? What are you clear on? Here's mine:










Yeah. Blank slate. I'm contemplating. Help?

Endless Shades Of Maple

I don't find many times when I am speechless. The endless shades and shapes of this year's fall leaves has been one of those times.

This week spend some time reflecting: When do you find yourself speechless?

In My Next Life

I am fortunate in this life to have found so many mentors and friends in places I didn't expect. Jennifer* once said we design our lives before we are even born: our parents, our challenges, our fatal flaws, our gifts, our location...). Sometimes I stand in amazement of all the places I've been, strength I've had, and words I've read. Other times, I wonder what I was thinking when I decided how to do this life. Who would inflict this on anyone? Who would choose to be the way I am?

I did, of course!

I am grateful for this life. The design is a masterpiece--it's full of adventure, surprise, and opportunities to be flexible and ever changing. I've been think about what my next life might look like because maybe it will help me see the part of the what I might be missing in this life.

I invite you to explore what you are learning in this life and consider what you might design into the next one. Write about it. Create about it. Cry about it. See what happens!

In My Next Life

I'll have a magic wand
And faerie dust
Swirling from my finger tips
As small as a speck
As mighty as a star

When you inspire joy
and expire sorrow
in slowing breath
After a storm
You will know me

You will know me
In the familiar smile
of a passing stranger
And carry me as 
The itch inside your nose

I'll wave my wand
As small as a speck
With the might of a star
You'll blink the out dust
Like I never existed at all

*Thanks to confidant Jennifer for a new way to think about the many pickles I found myself sandwiched between. (Yes, Jennifers, see if you can figure out which one you are!)

Teasing Out the "Big" Questions

Now that the Jumping Bean is in first grade, we have homework. This week we were introduced to "answer a question poetry." Question poetry format is:

1) The question (What's...)
2) At least five lines answering the question
3) The question as a declarative That's...)

JB's assignment was: "What's School?" While JB was writing his poem, I wrote one of my own: "What's JB?"

Writing about JB is quite easy for me. I'm writing another about a "thing" I can't see my way around. It's taking more thought. What is it exactly? What's upsetting about it? What's the joy in it? How do I feel about it? I'm teasing it out, and I hope to untangle the rat's nest.

Ask your own question. Use a question/answer poem and see what comes up. If you are moved to do so, please share your experience with us.

Our Creative Space

What's Jumping Bean?

Silly. Funny.

Creative, building artist

Awesome, wondrous, stupendous

Mystery of the Universe

Full of Magic

Son

That's JB.