The Pulse of the Family

Quote of the Day:  Pulsing through our veins is the blood of our ancestors, all their hopes and fears, longings and frailties. - Mary Aalgaard, after visiting with family this week.

Actually, my sister Joy talked about this.  She's heard of a pulse test that reads your family's health history, emotional and physical.  We know that we are genetically wired for certain diseases like cancer or heart disease, but we're also linked to our ancestor's emotional health.  This is interesting to me.  We have depression in our family.  We have sensitive souls who are strong in music and art and connecting with other people.  Some of us have control issues.

Cousin Angie and sister Joy singing and playing.

Leo is listening and purring.

Often, when we get together we talk about the negative traits of our family.  This time, we made a point of bringing out the positive qualities.  Aalgaards are great hosts.  We know how to make you feel comfortable.  We're good cooks.  We make music and know how to listen as well as talk.  We are spiritual and loyal.  We're the first to roll up our sleeves and help a neighbor.

We come from people with a wanderlust.  We travel and relocate, constantly seeking, aware of the journey.  We know that it's important to be together, to talk, to create, to connect.  We have a fun journaling project in the works for Christmas.  I'll tell you more about that on Friday.  In the meantime...

Go. Create. Inspire!  And, spend a little time with family, and check your pulse.

Brother Nathan, Sisters Nancy and Joy.

Having lunch together before Joy flies back to Portland, OR.

Journaling Prompt:  Write about the physical and emotional history of your family.  What are the positive traits that you've inherited from your family?

Emotional Intelligence

Quote of the Day:  Emotions are at the center of our thinking. Emotions are not separate from reason, but they are the foundation of reason because they tell us what to value. David Brooks on Ted.com. Click here for the full speech. It's fascinating.

He also talks about "mind-sight", the ability to interpentrate into someone's mind, and "blending" which is something artists do naturally, taking seemingly unrelated objects, events, or creatures and making connections.  I believe we experience mind-sight when we use our intuition to read people.  Have you ever said, "I just got a weird vibe from that guy," or looked into someone's eyes to determine if you could trust him or her?  Some people feel approachable, while others make you want to cross the street and walk on the other side.

David Brooks talks about skills we cannot count and measure.  Intuition, making connections, emotional response, creativity, the ability to see something for more than what it is, that is a higher power.  Creative Intelligence. I am amazed at how quickly a musician must process music and all its intricate details, and all the while feeling the emotions it evokes. And, how artists have visions about what they will create.

Like, turning a block of wood into a tiny tractor.

My Uncle David made this.

Or, finding objects in nature and embedding them in your canvas.

My friend at ArtbyJeMA, is a master at this.

Go. Create. Inspire!

Journaling Prompt:  Take note of times you act on your intuition or feel inspiration.  Observe kids and how they make connections and interact with their environment.  They have not reasoned away emotional response.

E is for Eric and Energy

Letter of the Day:  E

E is for Eric and energy.  He was energized when he got this Obi Wan Kenobi cape and lightsaber at the Disney MGM studios during our family trip in 2007.  He is officially the youngest of the Rude brothers.  His twin brother Charlie is 12 minutes older.  Eric is more of a poser. He likes plays and acting, like his mother, and volunteers to read in church, or take a part in a script.  That's fun!  He also likes high energy sports.

What is meant by energy on stage?  I remember once when my little sister came out on stage to do a scene for Fiddler on the Roof.  She played Tzeitel, the oldest daughter.  The director, a woman who was a bit harsh, stopped the scene and yelled at the cast to because they "had no energy."  We had to debrief about that later. 

Of course, there's the Robin Williams type of frenetic energy that we're all drawn into.  He can charge a stadium full of people with his act.  One man on stage with his voice and a brain that runs at warp speed.  Not all theatre is quick-paced comedy.  We also have drama and quiet, emotional scenes.  The energy is still there.  You can feel the audience tense at the moment of truth.  We take a collective breath when the kiss finally comes.  If the actors are true to their emotions and bring them up from the depths of their own experiences, we will react with laughter and tears, sighs, and cheers.

Journaling Prompt:  Where does true emotional energy come from in your art?