Workplace Acting Like High School- Y Generation?

Have you ever noticed that colleagues have forgotten that they are no longer in high school and forget what it means to comport themselves with professionalism, consideration of others, and plain out respect and maturity?  I miss the greatest generation where good manners and true caring for one another prevailed.  The greatest genreation refers to our seniors that lived through the Depression and World War II, our now elderly generation that have friends for life.  Today friends come and go because it is such a transient generation; no one stays for 31 years at a job any more, therefore, no one truly commits or invests in people.  With that comes no trust and an attitude of "everything all out for me." 

This I've noticed is the modis operandis of the supposed "Y" generation:  "Me! Me! Me!  Look at me!  Notice me!  Look what I did!  Aren't I great?" The instant social media intensity carries through with instant steam rolling of colleagues while being completely mindless of another's feelings.  Get all you can and do it as fast as you can; do it now!  What happened to doing things thoughtfully, carefully, wisely and inform all parties involved?  What is worse is the whispering, the closing of doors, the rubbing ones good fortune in another's face.  It's absolutely repulsive, disgraceful. 

Today, I felt like I was back in high school with that horrible squirmy feeling of being on the outside, "not in the know" in my own department (a department of three people for Christ's sake.)  I felt like there were clicks going on, CLICKS?!  and let me tell you, I was horrified to realize, duh, I'm at my place of employment. 

Jesus.  I felt like I was in high school musical with a ridiculous cast of characters playing their parts to a grotesque tee.  I felt like I was in a fun house with the mirrors that distort your image; everyone seemed like the funhouse mirror image. Ugly.  The main course of deportment at this place of business is CYA because there is so much paranoia and cut throat behavior all in efforts to protect  your job security.  There is so much whispering, back stabbing and gossiping that it's as if a horrible virus permeates the air and you get sucked into the paranoid madness. 
Well, lesson learned.  I prefer to rise above and comport myself with dignity and true caring of others.  My father has friends for life and he has lived through difficult times and suffering, yet he gives...gives of himself even when he has so little to give.  So, amidst the circus like atmosphere, I have to set all of that aside and do my job with my chin held up high and I plan on treating my good friend and co-worker to lunch!

Winter Blues became Bored Brigid! ArtAttack!

I almost threw this painting away.  It was coming out awful.  I was doing a bored, wintery blues kind of feel and it just came out awful with her skin greyish tan and her hair an awful yellow!  Set it aside.  Then I was bored and feeling unfulfilled not letting my art out, picked up my brushes and this picture, and started attacking it with vengence.  It's not perfect and her eye is a little crossed, but it became something from God Awful to Celtic Angel, in my eyes anyway.  My husband loves it and that means a lot!  It makes me happy.  Faces are never ever my thing, and I do have so much to learn, but perfection isn't the point in my art.  Color.  Mood.  Feeling.  Story.  And, it is a creative outlet that I need and enjoy, well, it always is a bit torturous, but I feel sooo much better after I created something that actually looks pleasing to the eye.  So, that was my Art Explosion and it gave me great satsifaction.  I love her hair the most....I call her by another name: Flame Girl!

Bittersweet 16 Girl

This painting started with a full page ad in the NY Times that featured this tall sleek haired blonde in a gorgeous lacy pink dress that I thought could draw and then paint.  I just couldn't get the skirt to flow, or the face and hair...nothing was turning out as I intended.  Then I used an ink pen and tried to fix it or add to it.  I added some pink to it...and then, walked away from it.  The girl in my drawing peeked out at me looking very goth and dark.  This is so not what I do, not what I paint. I paint pretty Regency Clad ladies who are caught in a time period that they have very little control, or voice but looked beautiful in the process with inner strength shining through.  Meanwhile, I attacked the painting again, tired of striving for perfection and  rolled with the more abstract edigier look and went with it.  Thus, far from my original NY Times ad inspiration became "Bittersweet 16 Girl."  I submitted this to HitRECord as an image for collaboration. 

It illicits the question, "What's the story?"  That, is what I often strive for...but the story is in the eyes of the beholder.  Each person that looks at this could come up with a different story and it will be perfect.  So, readers, "What is the Story?"

Something bittersweet.....I bet.

Winter Blues and Art

I am feeling a little low these daysperhaps due to the fact that i'm highly sensitive to world events, govermental drag, financial endless pinch, wackiness to the enth degree at work, guns guns guns....ugh...and the cold gray days of winter.
Plus, there is always that pervasive feeling that I should be doing something else with my life.  Like as if I took a wrong turn and now I am good and lost.  Even worse, I feel like I stumbled into a dark pit and can't get out.  It sucks and does not feel good at all.
I sketched a picture called  "Winter Blues" as perhaps that is all it is...but deep down, I know it's more.  I am on a soul search quest to discover my true life's purpose.
When I figure it out, I'll let you know.

Cool Thing! Joined HitRECord today.

http://www.hitrecord.org/

I stumbled on this interesting artist collabortion production company through Twitter.  Yeah.  Surprise. Surprise. I tweet.  Never thought it would happen, but I'm glad I did.  It is amazing how connected to more of the world you are through Twitter.

Joseph Gordon-Levitt must have been following someone that I follow, so I decided to follow him.  I think he is an amazing actor, but didn't have a clue what else this guy did/does!  Director, actor...hosting the Sundance Film Festival this year...creative genius, really.

Anyway, I discovered his production company HitRECord which really is a medium for artists to create, and then re-create and re-create some more.  Submissions of writing, images, music, film become "records" for which other artists can tap into and RE-mix it with something else.  Not all too sure how the Re-mixing works but I am going to start myself with some submissions of Records...10minute writing challenge and some images that I'll draw or paint that will no doubt leave the question..."What's the story here?"

That's what I've always loved about art...the provacativeness that teases, and taunts making you wonder...What is that person thinking in the image..what was the artist thinking...the beauty is the answer is anything and everything. 

This should be interesting...so here I go!

Check out the link above.  (If you figure out the Re-mixing part, please let me know!)

Hey Congress, We The People...Remember Us???

Oh, my God.  Did we elect idiots or what?  This really is our fault.  We put these people in congress and look what they've done for us?  NOTHING!  Let's just wait until the last possible minute on New Year's Eve, but, you know what, I need to get a little beauty sleep, so why don't we meet back at, say, 11:00 am.  Okay? 
11:00am???? WHAT???  Hey, Congress...Yo, I really don't want to see less in my already meager paycheck and guess what, my husband's health insurance is changing and we now will have to pay a big deductible, which means I will put off going to the doctor now, because it'll cost me big bucks. 
In otherwords, OUCH! 
But, heck, you have a cushy job, nice salary, probably a most excellent health insurance plan, perhaps a company car to boot...but don't worry about us, the PEOPLE who elected you.  Nah, take your time, stick by that party line and relax, take it easy...anything to make Obama look bad would work.
Oh, this angers me that people can work like this, or not work like this. As Obama said, in any business this would not happen; people like this would get fired because there are plenty of people standing in line that could easily do their jobs. 
Why can't we let these people go; you're fired!
It's really truly unconsicionable what they are doing.  To not come together and do what is right and just, and is so simple, is well, disgusting and appalling.
Get a good night's sleep, men.  Rest up.  Enjoy your New Year's Eve brunch and dawdle in to work at 11:00am, while The American People, the people you work for sweat it out until an agreement is made.

Kick 2012 to Curb! I'm Done With You

Geesh! What a year. And I say that not in a good way. It’s been such a stressful year in numerous ways. I was watching the late morning Today show, which I never do, but was surprised hearing Kathie Lee Gifford remarking what a crappy year for so many people it had been and that a lot of people are looking forward to saying goodbye to 2012. I thought to myself, She, Kathie Lee? feels that way? Really? She has a good gig on TV, plenty of money that I was genuinely surprised that she remarked on that comment or even feels the strain the year has wrought to so many people. She explained that the Presidential race was stressful, the Storm, the latest events in the news, Newton, CT and almost everyone knows someone with cancer. Fool me. 


See? Money can’t buy you happiness and a stress free life. I, personally have been wrung out financially with me working in a private school that pays peanuts and my husband in the mortgage business that took a big hit this year thanks to the economy. Never in my life would I think I would have collection agencies dogging me for money! Never! It sucks.  I have always been in control of things, and feel totally out of control. 

I want to state one comment that I truly feel is true for most people.  The cost of living is way out of line with the average incomes out there.  It's like a bad mortgage deal where the debt to income ratio is out of whack.  We need to be earning three times the amount we do to pay our newfound, thank you technology bills.  And every car repair, or broken washing machine, or sudden pest problem, every problem that you encounter is hundreds or thousands of dollars.  God!  It's too much.  There isn't enough dollars.  This is a HUGE strain.

Then, I became the sandwich generation...caring for an elderly parent and my own children.
My father fell and broke his femur in two places, had surgery, triggered his Multiple Mylenoma to kick in big time and now has received Chemo for over a year now. Fear. Fear. Fear. Each step was riddled with fear and dread. Each and every step from the fall, to the surgery, to the transfusions pre-surgery, to post –op, through rehab, switching rehabs, 104 fever and cough during rehab….ugh…need I say more? Oh my God, what will we do when he comes home? How is he going to manage? Driving to chemo? On and on it went with worry and fear after fear.

Work stresses, home stresses, kids stresses, money, money, money…on and on it went.


So you know what I say to 2012? Adios to you! Good riddance! And Hello There, 2013! You look mighty fine, I must say. This might be the year, I’ll actually stay up and stick my head out the door and bang some pots and pans like a nutter at midnight!

Happy New Year!