Category Archives: Creativity

A New Personality!

Good evening!

You may not know this, but I LOVE taking personality tests!! Psychoanalyzing myself and seeing what makes myself really tick!

Well, today, we had a new one distributed out at work to take – it uses the Jung methodology, which I have taken in the past, however this one seemed to really fit where I am in my life right now, which is pretty awesome!!

Anyway, instead of doing a “normal” post tonight, I thought I would share this link with you and let you take it yourself to find out a little more about your own personality!!

Take your own Personality Test now! 🙂

Oh, and in case you are curious, I am an ENFJ!

  ENFJ – “Persuader”. Outstanding leader of groups. Can be aggressive at helping others to be the best that they can be. 2.5% of total population.

Extroverted (E) 52.94% Introverted (I) 47.06%
Intuitive (N) 60.53% Sensing (S) 39.47%
Feeling (F) 73.53% Thinking (T) 26.47%
Judging (J) 57.89% Perceiving (P) 42.11%

Outgoing, social, attention seeking, emotional, loving, organized, comfortable around others, involved, open, hyperactive, complimentary, punctual, considerate, altruistic, easily hurt, religious, neat, content, positive, affectionate, image conscious, good at getting people to have fun, easily excited, perfectionist, assertive, ambitious, leader, hard-working, seductive, touchy, group oriented, anti-tattoos

 Favored Careers:

Casting directory, film critic, wedding planner, work in the performing arts, teacher (art, preschool, elementary), actor, fashion designer, news anchor, fashion merchandiser, school psychologist, broadcaster, stylist, interior designer, event coordinator, restaurant owner, childcare worker, hair stylist, film director, counselor, dancer

 Disfavored Careers:

Race car driver, scientist, computer specialist, airline pilot, computer programmer, financial manager, epidemiologist, truck driver, electrical engineer, software designer, web designer, business consultant, dj, bookseller

These results are pretty spot-on for me, however I don’t think I am anti-tattoo!! 😉

Anyway, I would LOVE to hear your results, in the comments section below!! I am on my way out the door to nourish my social-side – We are on our way to dinner and games with friends!!! 😉

Have a FABULOUS evening!! 😉

 

Working Out & Feelin’ Groovy!!

Good evening!

I have had a very busy, but very satisfying day today!!

First of all, dare I say it??? but work is actually getting better! I am not sure why, but the vibe in the office is really lightening up and it is making easier to want to be there day in and day out!! I think we can all finally see the light at the end of the tunnel, and so far – IT’S NOT A TRAIN!! WHEW!! 😉

At the end of work today, I had another Zumba class, and I must tell you – I am still pretty sore from Tuesday’s class, so mamma was modifying LIKE CRAZY today!!! 😉 Still left sweaty, sore, exhausted, and so glad that I done it!!! This is a six week class, and I can see that as the weeks go on it is going to get easier because I am going to have learned all of the dances. But, let me just tell you about an amazing moment that happened in class this afternoon. Those of us who were new, were learning moves to a new song. Well, one of the moves in this dance is something I have seen actual dancers do. I am not sure I know how to describe what it was, but it is basically where you plie, and your entire upper body sways left and right as your arms follow along – kind of like you are pretending to be a field of wheat in a nice breeze, It is a great stretching move, and in that moment, it was almost as if time had stood still, and I was graceful. I felt the motion from my abs all the way up to my fingertips, and it was right there, in the middle of crazy Zumba class that I felt real peace. Is that just crazy??? It was quite the divine moment for me. I am going to try and look it up on YouTube and see if I can find that dance move so that you can see what I am talking about.

Anyway, class ended and I came home and had a really healthy dinner with my sweetie; baked potato with fat free vegetarian chili – so DELICIOUS!! YUM!!

After sneaking in an episode of Bones – yes, we are STILL trying to get caught up!! It was time to go swimming!! I love swimming. I have loved swimming for as long as I can remember. I can remember swimming in my grandfather’s pool with my mom, dad and sisters and just having soooo much fun! Well, this evening, being as sore and tired as I am, I still managed to squeak almost an hour in!! My sweetie makes swimming fun, now!! We just talk, and play, and chase each other, kind of like little kids!!

Well, we have just gotten back to the house, I am sitting in his bathrobe, that smells just like him – I just LOVE that smell, and we are enjoying our dessert, which is a bowl of fresh strawberries, some light cool whip, and two graham crackers. I mean, seriously, what could be better than that???

After I am done for the night, I am going to head upstairs and get a little reading done – I am reading all about southern women, and southern culture/lifestyle! I think I have somehow tapped into a part of my heritage or something! I am just CAPTIVATED!! Anyway, more on that in another post!!!

One last thing before I go…I was reading an article this morning, and it was basically 3 friends stating 5 things that they do that make them happy. It made me think about that all day. So before I share my 5 Happy Things with you, I want to ask you to share with me in the comments section above, Dad, I am talking to you too!! 😉 What are 5 things that make you happy!! I know 5 might seem like a lot, but you can do it!!

My 5 Happy Things are:

  1. Car rides in the country (My daddy used to take my mamma out for drives in the country, and I have ALWAYS thought that was just SOOOO ROMANTIC!! Good job, Dad!!!)
  2. Sitting in a comfy corner, snuggled under a fuzzy blanket, reading a great book with my girls sleeping in my lap!!
  3. Sipping sweet tea out on the back porch while enjoying the sounds of nature, and of course that is always better with someone you love!
  4. Finishing something I never knew I would ever get the opportunity to start – like belly dancing, a collage class, or Zumba!!
  5. Helping someone just for the sake of seeing the expression of happiness, and gratitude on their faces.

I can’t wait to see your lists!!

Have a FABULOUS evening!! 😉

Happy! Happy! Happy!

Good evening!

I just got home, and I just found myself sitting in the quiet of my living room, zoning! I am so absolutely tired, and and soooo absolutely HAPPY! I had my first Zumba class today, and I have to tell you – IT IS SOOOO MUCH HARDER THAN MY BELLY DANCING CLASS!! Or I might be saying that just because I did do two hours of belly dancing last night, and I must confess, today I was still a little sore. Now, after doing my Zumba class, my sweetie might as well just wheel my sorry booty up the stairs and chuck me into bed, because I am

T-I-R-E-D!!!

Tired, but very happy!! I love getting to know what this body of mine can and cannot do! I am literally in awe of the fact that if I consistently do something, I will get better at it, and it will get easier!

WHAT A NOVEL CONCEPT!! 😉

OK, so back to my Zumba class.  The class was fun. We were in a gigantic conference room at the hospital and there were 15 of us, not including the instructor. She had provided belly dancing coin skirts for everyone to wear, so we could have fun jangling with the music – I thought that was funny!! 😉 The music was AMAZING!! There were some modern pieces as well as some upbeat Latin pieces, but everything was happy music!! Which was good because we were all having fun sweating, giggling, and dancing like maniacs!!! The dance moves were a mix between belly dancing, Latin steps, and pop – CRAZY FUN!!! The only time the class wasn’t fun was when our instructor sneakily threw in a song that was just for squatting, and then another song that was just for balancing on one foot, and one song just for doing situps, plank, and a ab-crunching Pilates move! OUCH!!! Let me just tell you, I am just so thankful that I don’t have to do that again until Thursday!! I have a day to recoup, and honey, let me tell, you I need it!! 😉

Well, I know this sounds crazy, but I am going to go swimming with my sweetie before bed tonight, so until tomorrow…

Have a FABULOUS evening!! 😉

PS. Chunky Dunkers, we are SO ON for tomorrow night!! I will meet you here!! 😉

The New Me!

Good evening!

Ok, sometimes I even dazzle myself!! Tonight was the first night of my new belly dancing class, I have officially graduated on to the intermediate class! WHOO-HOO!! That, however, is not the amazing part.

Ok, let me back up a bit. Taking the beginning belly dancing class is the just that, the beginning. It is a bunch of the basic moves that will help you go on to further your belly dancing skills. Well, once you leave beginning basics, you have a decision to make, you either go on to do cabaret belly dancing, or tribal belly dancing.

My take on the difference is, that cabaret is a cross between basic belly dancing and show girls – it is glitz, glam, lots of bells and veils, but not a lot of anything else – skin is the operative word there!!! Another thing that stands out to me, about Cabaret is that it is also very choreographed, and everyone pretty much wears the same costumes.

Tribal belly dancing, on the other hand, is more like dancing as if you were raised in a gypsy caravan and you were all taught to dance by the same old respected woman in your community – it has a much more earthy/family feel to it, with lots of layered costumes, and it the moves are choreographed, but in a different kind of way. What I mean by that is that you learn handfuls of moves, and then while you are performing, there are different cues that the leader gives out to tell you what set of moves you are doing next. It is much more spontaneous in feeling, and in my opinion, waaay more fun.

Well, why did I tell you all of that? Well, since tonight was my first night of intermediate dance class, I had a decision to make. Cabaret or tribal? Caberet is from 6:30 to 7:30. Tribal is from 7:30 to 8:30. For those of you who know me, I am usually a to-bed-by-8:30 kinda gal! I need my sleep, and I get up at 5:30 every morning so that I can write my morning pages. Well, I knew that I wanted to do tribal, the style just seemed to make my insides sing!! but, I had decided on cabaret, because it was earlier.

So, I went to class this evening, exercise gear in hand, and I was there early and ready to go. I did my hour of cabaret, and man, when I am telling you that was hard, I mean – my abs, and thighs are going to be screaming for DAYS!!! 😉 It wasn’t particularly fun, because I was so lost more than half the time, but I am committed to doing this, and I know I will figure it out if I just stick with it!! The hardest part for me in this class, is that I just didn’t feel like I would be able to relate to anyone here. They are all really young girls, skinny, very fit, and waaaay more graceful than – that is for sure. Well, when we got close to the hour being up, in walks some of the ladies for the tribal class. and in that moment, I knew. I knew I had made a mistake. I WANT TO BE IN TRIBAL, my soul screamed!!

So, class ended, I walked up to the instructor, Jody, and asked her if I could change to tribal next week. She said, “well, this is what we can do…”

Now, at this point I was sure she was going to tell me ‘no’, but what she said next surprised me, and how I responded surprised me even more.

She continued on by saying, “…if you have time, why don’t you stay for tribal tonight, and see which class you like better. I don’t want you stuck in cabaret if you would prefer tribal.”

at which point, I said, “YES, I HAVE TIME!!!”

So, long story short, I belly danced for TWO HOURS tonight!! I can’t even believe it! The old Christina would NEVER have had the stamina!! Plus I swam hard for an hour yesterday, and I have another hour Zumba class tomorrow!! Now I am not in the best of shape, and I am not getting any younger, but right now I feel like I can conquer the world!!!

I can not WAIT for next weeks class (I need to find me a broom skirt!!)! and you have got to know, mamma is taking ibuprofen, grabbing the heating pad, and crawling into bed – because I am sooooo tired.

So tired, but soooo happy!!!

LIFE IS GOOD!!! 😉

Have a FABULOUS evening!! 😉

The Best Kind of Naked Sunday!

Good afternoon!

I have had the BEST kind of naked Sunday ever!! One hanging out and playing with my sweetie, Jason!! We have spent the day so far, cooking, reading, writing, playing in the pool, and pretty much just having a PHENOMENAL day!! 😉

This evening, we are planning on having a special, healthy, grilled dinner that we are going to make together. He is begging to have a Eureka marathon – the tv show? I may have to give in, eventually! 😉 and I may give him the satisfaction of kicking my booty at a game of chess tonight – that is usually how that goes, and then I wipe him out at Bananagrams…well ok, almost. 😉

My goal is to practice extreme-self-care today: Eating healthy, exercise, rest, relaxation, play, and to bed on time, all the while enjoying some quality time with my sweetie!! THAT is my definition of the BEST kind of naked Sunday!! 😉

AND, Have I told you that I have my first intermediate belly dancing class tomorrow evening? I have officially graduated my beginner’s class and will be in this class for at least the next 8 weeks. I can’t wait!! I will keep you posted! 🙂

Well, I am getting back to my sweetie and our day!!

Have a FABULOUS evening! 😉

A Different Saturday!

Good evening!

I have had a different kind of Saturday, a day focused mainly on art, and creativity. I am watching a documentary on, artist, Alice Neel. She was a very intriguing woman. It sounds like she led a life that was surrounded in a kind of sadness. Her paintings are quite amazing, however. She was a portrait artist, painting portraits of people. Her pictures seem almost alive, with breathing, moving subjects. There is something very energetic about them. What an amazing talent Alice had. I am shocked that she never sold many of her paintings, if she sold any. Amazing woman.

I finished reading The Artist’s Way today. I am pretty proud of myself that stuck that out! I have also finished filling up my Morning Page’s journal! That, to me, is freakin’ amazing!!! I have learned so much about myself since I started this journey, more than 13 weeks ago. I learned that I am braver than I thought I was capable of being, and that I have given myself permission to step off of the sidelines of life and get into the flow of action! That has been very exciting, and if I were to walk away from this program with only that lesson learned, then that was ABSOLUTELY WORTH IT!! 😉

Tomorrow I start the next book, Walking in this World: The Practical Art of Creativity. This book is also by Julia Cameron. I will continue to do my morning pages, and my weekly artist dates, but just from initial glance, this book will also make daily walks part of the creative process. I am excited to see what the next 12 weeks bring.

Anyway, I realize that this is a short post, but it is late, and I am really into this documentary, so I am bidding you adieu until tomorrow!

Have a FABULOUS evening! 😉

 

Walking in this World: The Practical Art of Creativity

A Thursday of Randomness!

Good evening!

I am so tired! It has been a long day! Well, where do I start?

I got up this morning, late, because I had stayed up too long last night, trying to cram a little more time with my sister! Shocking, right?? Anyway, I finally got myself out to work this morning and even managed to surprise myself by getting there on time. WHOO! HOO!!

I had a pretty darn good day at work today! I just love working with my girlfriend, Chris. She always has a way of explaining things to me that makes either understand them, or makes me feel better! It is important to work with friends!! 😉

When I got home this afternoon, it was to a too quiet empty house. Jennifer and Austin went home today, after stopping by my work place so we could all have lunch together, which is part of why I was having such a good day at work! Ok, so maybe a BIG part of it! 😉 But is was very quiet when I got home this afternoon, and my sweetie came home and made a fabulous – and healthy dinner this evening for us! That was so fabulous!!! I got to cuddle with him on the couch a bit this evening, before he headed out to his truck to do some final errands of the evening! 😉

I am excited that tomorrow is Friday! I can’t wait!! Our house is clean, and after some organizing in the dining room tomorrow night, I will be able to claim that my house is spotless, well, at least for 10 minutes!! 😉 But, when the house is clean, I have a MUCH EASIER time of relaxing, and I know that makes both Jason and I happy!! 😉

Oh, I wanted to tell you that I signed up for a 5 week, 2xs a week Zumba class down at my place of work! It only cost me $25, because I am an employee – I can not wait to start!! I know that Zumba is supposed to be really tough, but I am falling in love with dancing – the ultimate un-exercise feeling exercise for me!! 😉 Plus I start my intermediate belly dancing class next week. I am scared and nervous at the same time, but I know I will have a blast!!

Anyway, I am going to close up shop here, and get my booty into bed for the night!!

Have a FABULOUS evening! 😉

A Gorgeous Day!

Good evening!

It has been an absolutely gorgeous day here in Oregon. It was a bit on the toasty side today, but I just got back from  nice long swim in our chilly pool, which was absolutely refreshing, and we have air conditioning in our little place, so I think I should be able to nod off to sleep quite nicely this evening. It also probably helps that I am beyond tired, from having so much fun with my sister, Jennifer, while she is still in town.

Her and her husband, Austin, are only in town in until tomorrow, at which time they will return home! I have tried, for years to talk them into moving here, but Salem is just too big for them, which is ironic because it is just too small for us!! 😉 Anyway, we have squeezed in some quality time after work this evening, going to their favorite place in Salem to eat, and that is at Mongolian Grill. They make it a point to eat there at least once during every visit, and this time was no different. 😉

I must interject here, I have been part of a support group called Chunky Dunkers. This is basically a get healthy & fit support group that I started with the help of my sisters, Alex, Jennifer, oh, and I can’t forget my sweetie, Jason. Well, Alex has lost almost 60 pounds, and Jennifer has lost almost 40. I am soooo ABSOLUTELY PROUD OF BOTH OF THEM (and a little jealous, if truth be told), and it has caused me to have a feeling of a renewed sense of,

“Ok girl, you have got to get your butt into gear and make this happen for yourself!!”

So, I have eaten extra fruits and veggies today, avoided all calorie-laden drinks, and tracked all of my food that I have eaten, walked the stairs at work, and even got an extra half an hour of vigorous swimming in this evening! Whew!!! Only one day down, and possibly hundreds more to go, which is ok, seeing that it took me literally 16 years to get to the size that I am. I have never really been overly self-conscious of the weight, but I am noticing that the older I am getting the more aches and pains in my joints I am getting, and I am just TOO YOUNG to feel this DAMN OLD!! 😉 So, instead of just pissing and moaning about it, I am going to step up to the plate and take some action – little, by little – baby steps!!

If any of you reading have any hints/tips/ideas/yummy recipe ideas, or even just some motivational support for me and my get fit actions, I would be more than happy to hear from you. Please leave me a message in the comment section above!

Thank you SOOOO MUCH, in advance!!

With that said, I am going to head off to bed for the evening!

Have a FABULOUS evening!! 😉

P.S. These pictures were taken in my mom, Linda’s, garden. Aren’t they just lovely? Thanks, Mom!! 😉

A Day of More Art!

Good evening!

I have had a fun day today! When I wasn’t out running errands, and spending some time with my sweetie, I spent a good portion of my day up in my art studio playing amongst my art supplies! I did manage to finish one piece that I had started a couple of weeks ago. I am calling this piece

The Caged Bird Sings:

I LOVE this color scheme – this green really resonates with me! I tried a couple of new products, at least new to me, to do this project. I started with an acrylic base, and then used a crackle medium, however I had made a mistake and it didn’t crackle exactly the way I had expected, but at least now I know what NOT to do for my future crackle pieces! I also got to use a few different colors of ink stains to give this piece some depth.

I hand painted this bird using basic acrylics, and then pulled out some of my old jewelry supplies to create this wire bird cage, which I can see is not too easy to see in this picture – Something else to think about if I should ever create a cage again!

I really had fun creating this piece, but had some trouble trying to come up with some text to convey what I was wanting this piece to say. I stopped mid morning, and did a quick meditation to clear my head, and this thought just came to me, and knew that it was perfect.

As always, I would love to her your thoughts, please leave me a note in the comments section! I always appreciate your feedback!! This has and will continue to be a great learning experience for me! 😉

Have a FABULOUS evening! 😉

A New Piece of Art!

Good evening!

As most of you know, I have just recently become a new collage artist, so I am really learning about different techniques, and flexing my bravery muscles by putting some of these techniques together in a way that represents something inside of me!

Tonight I have finished my latest collage piece and I am very excited to share it with you to get your feedback!

At first glance this piece may not look like something that I might have made. There are no deep reds, vivid blues, or brilliant greens, but I am in a mental place right now that is really a lot quieter, softer, more reflective, and more embracing of my femininity than where I have been in the past. I wanted this piece of art to become an inspirational reminder to myself about the possibility of dreaming.

This particular collage started because I had found this thought in a magazine, quite a while ago. If I remember correctly I think it was part of an advertisement of some kind.

“Let yourself whisper and wander and wonder.
Let yourself anticipate the bliss.
Let yourself have all you deserve.
Let yourself remember the unforgettable.
Let yourself let it go.”

This sentiment is something that I am actively working on taking to heart, especially as I start to get more daring in my delving into my world of creativity.

I added a butterfly to this piece as a symbol of my journey of change, to metamorphosis from who I am to who I want to be. In doing this my goal is to honor my authentic self.

I was very interested in playing with textures here, and a color palate that is not my typical jewel tone fare. I did a lot of paper crumpling, sanding, scraping, rippling, painting, stamping, tearing, inking, writing, and even some hand embroidery, as you can see above, in this picture – I just LOVE how that turned out. I am sure I will be using that technique more often.

And of course, how could I create a piece of art that doesn’t have a crown in it? I love the idea that this represents:

I am blessed.

I am worthy.

I am loved.

I am good enough.

This is the third art piece that I have ever finished, and only 1 of 2 that I like enough to actually display, but I know that as I finish each piece I learn a little more about myself and what I am willing to do and what I am not willing to do in my art. Not to mention, collage/mixed media is a great way to not only lose yourself, but a great place to also find yourself as well.

Please feel free to go to the comments section, above, and let me know what you think. I am always open to your thoughts. Thank you! 😉

Have a FABULOUS evening!