Wednesday French Inspiration

On the ceiling of Eglise Saint-Merri

I know it may look blurry but this piece of art is shown (I assume) as the artist intended.  It is housed in a church in the Marais district of Paris.  The church also houses the oldest bell in Paris.  The bell was cast in 1331.

 I maybe the only one, but I think the depiction of the face seems a little insane. Truth be told, I have a one track mind this week, and there was only one thing I could post about.  My sanity.  I'm trying REALLY hard to be sane.  I've heard the definition of insanity is-- doing the same thing over and over again expecting different results.  Well, I have a goal to lose some of the weight I've gained over the past year.  Yet every attempt I make fails.  This would be due to the fact that every time I pass the chocolate or the bag of Doritos I think, "If I only sneak a taste this time I will be fine." And my taste turned into a whole eating binge, then I get all upset that I gave in and ate the food I shouldn't.  

So I'm trying to overcome my insanity and try something new.  Do you ever get stuck in a rut and let your insanity get the best of you?

 

Wednesday French Inspiration

Vineyard near entrance to Château de Chenonceau

Last week I told you all to be failures.   However, I only want you to be a failure until you succeed.  Because success does not come without work and sometimes some failing.  On the road to success it is sometimes easy to get distracted.  This is especially true when we see other people bringing forth such fruitful successes while we are still planting a seed.  We feel defeated.

During my time in France, it was said and wished that I would have been able to see the area in full bloom.  The land was not very fruitful, the trees were bare.  I still fell in love.  I didn't need all the sparkle and shining.  Even in its barest form, I could see so much beauty. What do you see when you look at the vineyard?  I see work, I see love, I see years, I see potential and I see beauty. 

So much of our time can be easily wasted on wishing for things to be different.  If only's... What if's.... Why not's.... We miss so much.   Let's not waste time wishing for a different season.  Let's enjoy the beauty of all seasons and states of our life, our projects.  Even when the storms roll in we must always remember that water brings life, that winds may prune away the weakest branches, sometimes things we love will be lost. 

In which season is your current WIP?  Can you see its beauty? 

Wednesday French Inspiration

View from the Cour Napoléon of the Richelieu Wing Architecture

The Louvre started off as a palace and today is a museum.  But the art is more than just what the building houses.  The building is art itself.  I love this man sitting on the corner.  He looks so deep in thought.  It is a great reminder to me that we all need time to meditate and ponder our lives and the world around us.  

I have been thinking some lately (don't worry I try not to do that too often.)    The theme of my thoughts have been the difference between quitting and failing.  If you had to be a failure or a quitter which would you choose? 

Since this a time of year when many are setting new goals, I thought this might be a good time to share this thought with you.  There is a misconception made by many that if one fails there is no more trying.  If you don't get your workout in one day or you eat something bad, then you abandon ship.  If you had a set word count but got distracted by email and facebook, then you ignore the keyboard again the next day.  If your marriage is lacking the luster of a new relationship, then you think there is never chance for happiness.  (You get my point.)  It is easy to fail and then quit.  But you don't have to be both a failure and a quitter.

 

If the race is on and you are in last place, wouldn't you rather cross that finish line knowing you gave it your all, than always know you quit?

So my thoughts as I look at the picture above is, even if you are a failure-- don't be a quitter.

If you have the time to stop and think, what are your thoughts today?

Wednesday French Inspiration

 Peugeot Flux Concept Car

 On the first night in Paris (after this but before this),  we stopped in a Peugeot Showroom on the Champs Elysee.  Pictured above is the beauty that was spinning in the center of the showroom.  The Flux.

The name Flux was inspired by the flow of our daily lives, whether at work or play.

The shape also represents this state of flow with straight lines and curves, which are characteristic of Peugeot.

A relatively small car (3,500cm long by 1,650cm wide), it runs on a slim hydrogen power plant hidden in the back, with the tank mounted under the front bonnet.

The bonnet and side body panels are made out of plastic, the seats of polyurethane and the mechanical parts of aluminium. The main components such as the chassis are made of metal.

The body work is simple (basic intersected volumes) so the car is easily produced and accessible to everyone. But most of all, it’s fun to drive.

Finally, the car is also a gaming hub thanks to its integrated Xbox 360, so please hop in!

 I just love how designers thought outside of the box.  I just keep thinking about how the world is always trying to shove us into a certain mold.  Sometimes we get so determined to fit inside that box that we loose site of any other option.

Today's message I guess is that there is beauty outside of the box.  So get yourself a box cutter, some scissors or whatever it takes.  It is time to get out of the box.

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Like a Writer... (Typing for the Very First Time)

You've seen my header, and you may heard me mention writing a few times. But I've never felt more like a writer than I do right now.

I have been stuck in the pre-writing and conceptualizing for the same story for over a year. GASPS Most people would put me in the same category as all those people who always say that one day they will write a novel then never do. I have mile long list of excuses why it is taking me so long.

Over the holiday break, I was reading Orson Scott Card's book on Character and Viewpoint, and he points out that some people can jump right in and others take years to develop the story before writing a page.  He tends to be the later (he says).  Well evidently so am I.

I have had this concept milling around like a rolling stone.  I have been trying to work out the bumps and form it into some thing that I could put into words.

Well today I laid my precious princess down for a nap and I put 2000 words worth down into one of my most captivating scenes.

I spent hours in the car riding/driving from Virginia to Texas.  During that time, I was mentally writing and editing concepts and ideas.  Really visualizing the scenes.  I got to a scene that I couldn't wait to write.  It isn't even from the beginning of story.  But it had me excited.  I have almost the whole scene typed up.  I'm excited.

What if your style for writing? (If you aren't a writer, how to you approach planning a party.)  Do you mill out the details?  Or do you jump in?   Do you start at the beginning?  Or do you jump around and organize it in your edits?

Also, I have plans to attend LDStorymaker Conference this year in Provo.  Is anyone else going?  And are any of you Utah girls interested in attending a Bloggers in the Real World lunch?