Blogging about a blog: www.rubyandthemoon.com

Today is exciting. I am sharing and embracing what I think is something really
wonderful. A peek-a-boo smile kinda thing that happened to me through shared energy and good people.

My treasure of a friend Kelly Nicole Tetley Tjoumakaris is the word mixologist, the DJ of Verbage, this remarkable Songstress of Synonyms...and well - let's just say she's flat out cool. When she speaks I listen to the entire sentence.

I am known to be a half listener. "Can you repeat that; I only half listened".

Kelly is a FABULOUS writer and I AM the luckiest person in the world because she shares her writings with me. Saved right here, on this very blog..is an amazing little insert about..well..about something I needed. I am going to share it soon; but not until I paint the art it has inspired. It will be one of those selfish paintings that I gift to myself bc...there's no way I can sell the gift of words transcribed through heart. Real heart. Kelly has heart. Here's a small excerpt:

"She is a tree that is lichened and a tree that is not. She is a family tree. And, knock on wood, the tree of woe. She is Joyce Kilmer’s tree and the tree that grows in Brooklyn. She is the tree that has been snubbed and the tree that has been hugged. She is the tree little George admitted to severing and the tree the apple doesn’t fall far from."
-Kelly Nicole Tetley Tjoumakaris

As of yesterday and the sudden abrupt decision to change the name of THIS blog to Talula's Tales and Terradoodles; I reached out to Kelly for approval. In what is always a wonderful, kind and thrilling (yes, its thrilling.) exchange she directed me to a NEW BLOG written and directed by her friend Danielle Davies. Danielle is involved in one of the things I speak about most on this blog. It's the Letters from A Young Poet question we all have to ask ourselves (thanks again Rilke...I love you).

Am I an Artist?

Danielle is the mother of two and one of her children has Aspergers. In Kelly sharing with me this information; and this wonderful blog...I had a few thoughts;
1. I can't imagine how hard it is to do this with children, a family, and Aspergers.
(in regards to my personal story where I was only able to do it in the realization that I had a lack of those things.)
2. HOW BRAVE!!! I want to share that energy! I want to celebrate it! How do I do that????
3. I can't possibly understand it. I have zero experience but I wonder what wonderful information I can learn from in regards to her story.

I then spend some time reading this wonderful, heartfelt, creative, strong, inspiring blog. I will share with you a few favorite things: (but you must promise to visit yourself...I am in now way able to convey here the true value and grit of it)

1. http://www.rubyandthemoon.com/1/post/2012/03/from-beer-holder-to-art-caddy.html
"My insane goal this past Christmas was to try to make most of my gifts. I found myself scouring crafting websites and following lots of tutorials and loading myself up on ideas. One of the things that happens to me when I'm getting so much outside inspiration is that the inspiration starts to seep in and I start getting ideas of my own! Yay!"
-Danielle Davies

Um...how cool is THAT? and from this, inspiration unfolds tri-fold. Danielle is inspired, which leads to an inspiring gift, which leads to an inspiring blog post..which leads to me drinking beer in the middle of the day so I can make one of these amazing art caddies. Not really...but you see what I'm saying. There is so much pay it forward in this that I am hoping by writing this Danielle see's what a gift she is extending to her friends and then her friends friends (there we go with the tri-fold...what do you call it when its four-fold..I need Kelly the word expert for that one.)

***This is my favorite blog post so far - pure, honest and well...funny!!!
2. http://www.rubyandthemoon.com/1/post/2012/02/the-benefits-of-funny.html
"I would like it, if when I tell a story about my son raging against the entire concept of 'The Amish' because he cannot tolerate the injustice of those poor Amish children not having the opportunity to watch one of his favorite cartoons (Arthur) due to their lack of electricity....well, I would like you to laugh.

Not at him. With me. At the absurdity of it. At the wonderful way my son's mind works to have made those connections, even if that information has caused him to overload. At how funny it must have been to hear me keep repeating, "They are a peaceful people". Really...it's funny, isn't it?"
-Danielle Davies

Yes. Its funny. It really is. I wanted to hug you when I read this because I think you are wise and amazing. I thought how lucky your son is!!! I thought I'd like to hug him too..then I thought how awkward it would be if I saw you in NJ and ran up to you and hugged you since we've never met. That made me laugh even though I was already laughing at your blog post.

I could go on and on but I realize I'm being very wordy on here today.

My point is to embrace shared energy. Be creative. Take amazing leaps like Danielle did and when you question yourself, when you have doubts, read her blog.
Everyone's story is different but the shared idea that "Art can mend this broken world" is so prevalent the more I continue this creative journey of my own that I can't help but put out pedestals for those in my life that validate this project.

So..awaiting two spectacular people are two very strong, sturdy and insanely colorful pedestals whenever you need a Talula moment...come, please, sit with me - I guarantee I need a Kelly and Danielle moment too.

..oh and this is the point in my blog where I ask Danielle how I can better improve my links on here because I can never seem to get them to light up. (and that is where my graphic designer friend laughs bc I said light up.) xo

Thank you all. You are magic.
TLB AVL