flower bed

Slow on the new ideas? Get some sleep.

Need some stare out the window time?  Open the blinds.

Dreams to small? Rest.

The world is happening. Look.

Wake Up.

poem by NVR

photo by Mousy Brown

I will paint again, I will read more. I will get up earlier to write and walk. I will absorb the music and invest in people. I will do my best to be aware and alert and live life in a way that is artful.

 photo credit

I like December because of all of the count downs:

We will now reflect on the top music of 2011, the best TEDtalks of the year, the Arab Spring or the rise and fall of The Closer. (what the heck happened on that holiday show!)

We all want the next year to be better.  It would be great if we could distill that down to making each day better.  I’ve been at my new day job for a couple of months and have started to settle into a new routine, sort of. I’ve always considered that creating a routine can help me be ready to change that routine when necessary.

Because of my Repetitive Stress Injury that began in mid 2001, and the incredibly long recovery time (after surgery and therapy) that lasted over 18 months, I learned the hard way.  Doing the same thing over and over again will eventually cause pain. A lot of pain. I still only have 90% use of my right hand and drop things on occasion for no apparent reason. When I paint I can only hold the brush for a couple of hours and have to stop. Pain can change your routine.

This season, I will reflect that each New Day should feel as fresh as each New Year.  The new Cool People Care magazine format daily emails, The Spark can steer that thought.  I also like the Daily Good. When I’m in need of inspiration, I’ll take a look at the NYCSubway Girl’s posts on The Inspiration Project

What will you do to make the next day ahead of you as important as it deserves to be?

Showing Spirit on October 20, 2011

Victory comes From the Courage to step up – and out.

 I’ve just completed a year long campaign to serve my city of Nashville TN as a Metro Council representative.  It was the first time an openly gay women has run for this office.  My partner Joan and I live in was was once considered are strongly conservative area of town.  When redistricting occurred in the middle of our campaign and had us suddenly facing an incumbent when before it was an open seat. We continued on and gathered the support of hundreds of fellow Nashvillians and from dozens and dozens of new friends and supporters through The Victory Fund.

 In  2003 the city of Nashville tried to pass a nondiscrimination ordinance for its employees.  It was a dramatic time. Some of the council members that supported it received threats. It did not pass because of a tie-breaking vote.  We were disappointed and waited for change once again, because of the promise that “It Does Get Better”.

 In  2008 I made the commitment to never work for a client or an employer that does not have a fully inclusive nondiscrimination policy.  In 2009, friends and colleagues began asking me if I had any interest in running for office.

I knew that I would only run if the new nondiscrimination ordinance offered that year, passed. -It did.  “It Does Get Better”.

It takes courage to step up fearlessly.  It takes time to gather that courage and to find and build the support system that will keep you from harm.  It Gets Better because of all of these things.

Let me say again, I would have never run for office in 2011 if the 2009 Metro Nondiscrimination Ordinance had not passed.  I received 44% of the vote. I am now looking toward taking what I learned about my community and serving it in other ways.

It gets better when you step out.  It gets better when you step up.

It gets better.

itgetsbetter.org

victoryfund.org