Self-Portrait & My Bliss List

I took a leap of faith and found myself in a little place called "Bliss"...

My Bliss List

- fear transformed

Journaling Like a Madwoman!

I know I haven't been around for the last couple of days, so I want to wish everyone a belated MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!! What can I say, things get hectic around here for the holidays. Christmas morning was amazing! I got to watch my little guy open presents for the first time (he was only 8 months old last Christmas) and he was a pro at tearing the wrapping off of the gifts. So much so, I had to stop him from tearing the wrapping off other people's gifts!!! He had a ball and just watching him made me happy. Also, my family and my husband's family came over for breakfast. I played a short order cook preparing made-to-order omelettes and waffles. I had so much fun and having the whole family over to eat, watch home-made movies, laugh, and enjoy each other's company was more than I could ever ask for. I want to make Christmas Breakfast a tradition. There, I said it, so shall it be!

Now, for the reason I haven't been around since Christmas... I have been plugging away at my art journal and loving every minute of it! I'll start pages, add things to old pages, embellish like my life depended on it... It is sooooo much fun and I get all giddy to see a "finished" page. I want a big, fat book stretched to the limits with goodies inside that I created. I will put up a slideshow of what I have so far.

Yours in artsy-fartsy bliss...

Muah :*

My Muse Said...

I am on a roll and couldn't keep my mind off my journal all day! I am so proud of it! When doing this one, there was a lot more thought and I need to let that go. With hard thinking during creativity, perfectionism starts to try to creep in and I had to stop and breathe and really let go and not get anal about color, placement, etc. I didn't know where I was going with this, but it all came together. I need to listen to my muse more often, she has the turn-by-turn directions to bliss...
Muah :*

My Bliss List

- snow days
- new friends
- my Muse
- lots 'o color!

My 2nd Page & Bliss List

I am so excited about how this one came out! I kinda wish that I could redo the 1st page, but I will not let Ms. Perfectionist ruin that for me. I am living in the moment and that moment has passed. My first page is beautiful and it was my brave first step. I will not let negative mind chatter take away the courage needed to finally take the leap toward bliss...

Muah ;*

My Bliss List

- Suzi Blu - thank you, thank you, thank you for believing in me and the fact that I am an artist
- art supplies
- messy hands
- finished pages

My 1st Art Journal Entry

Here's my 1st art journal entry. I am soooo excited! It came out really nice and I know the others will be even better!! Wasn't I a sassy lil' Blisslet!!

My Bliss List

- hula hoops
- great hoopdance playlist
- clean offices
- stripey colored socks
- the excitement of starting a new project
- easy, healthy dinners
- sleeping in (9:30 am) :)
- letting go...

It All Started With a "Party"...

I must admit, today was a good day. It started with me not wanting to wake up to do my morning Turbo Jam, Cardio Party 1, but I talked myself into it by saying that I would keep it low impact. Lo and behold, once I got going, I fired myself right on up and kicked it into high gear! I ended up burning almost 400 calories, so I was happy with that. I then did my morning card reading and what I pulled is pictured above. According to Lucy Cavendish and the Oracle Tarot, cards that are reversed symbolize a block in a specific area of one's life. This block relates to the "pursuit of my career dreams". The 5 of Wands indicates a kind of challenge that may be overt or undercover. This card is telling me that I am beating my head against a wall trying to change the ways of the higher ups. I know the way things should be, but trying to make others see that is a totally different story. This card is advising me to stop bitching and moaning about the situation, take some time out to think about a solution, and then not boast with a finger-wagging "I told you so!"

At this point in time, I work for a contract company and am paid an hourly wage. All of that is just fine, but our time is broken down into billable and non-billable hours vs. getting paid for hours on site. For example, instead of getting paid for a 9 hour day (10-7), I get paid by the number of clients I see/don't see. For a further example, I was onsite for 9 hours today, but will only get paid for 8 because I saw 5, 1 no-called/no-showed, and 2 canceled. The other hour of my time will get farted away into the wind because we can't double bill (claiming a cancel/no show and doing paperwork; has to be either or) and we can no longer claim consultation time, filing, phone calls, scheduling, etc. The consumer company only pays my contract company for direct treatment hours/paperwork. Everything else is considered indirect/non-billable hours. It's really sad that in order to be compensated for a 15 min. conversation with a co-worker about a client, I need an authorization. Is this what things have come to? Anyway, my co-workers and I practically have a non-billable round table, every Thursday, on how unfair and unreasonable this system is. My co-worker was onsite for roughly 7 hours today, but will only get paid for 5; she will have to make up the time elsewhere because she is full-time and they have to have so many hours per pay period to qualify for benefits. Suckity-suck sucks, right!

The guidance handed down to me today let me know that there are obstacles surrounding my career happiness, and until I am willing to come up with some brilliant plan, things will continue this way. Right now, I like the consumer company that I work for, enjoy what I do, and get along with the people; I just dislike the way we are paid. I think my final solution would be to look/apply for a new job, but I'm just not there yet. I am fresh off the boat and am building my experience. I will take off and shine in due time.

On a much lighter note, today I received thoughtful gifts from my clients for Christmas. It makes my heart all warm and mushy to be appreciated. Because a couple of the gifts were food related, I shared them with those in the office (one thing about consistent workouts is the hesitation to throw it all away with some bad food choices). One gift, however, was very different and it lightened my mood right up. It's a Precious Moments tissue holder and each side says something different. Reading this tissue box put things into perspective and I was kissed a total of 4 times. Take a look and savor each kiss from "you know who"...

Muah :*

My Bliss List

- my "b"

- credit cards with just enough room to get gas

- cardio party

- great co-workers