still pursuing...

I have been cooking today.  A lamb ragu which will go over penne pasta and then some roasted, carmelized cauliflower for a side note.  Earlier, Mac and I went for a quick bike ride on this gorgeous fall day.  Tonight, the little Central Oregon symphony is playing Mozart and we'll be there for that.  So yeah, I love to cook and savor and listen to music and riding a bike is the best way to feel 9 years old again....when riding a bike no hands was so wicked fun.  Remember?

I was thinking about homemade.  How homemade can feel so happy and earthy and satisfying--a slower way....like how cooking ragu is a lesson in patience.  Adding half cup after half cup of wine, then broth, then tomatoes......reducing it all down to this mellow rich essence.

It's a funny way to get happy but it's completely workin' for me today.  Bon appetit!

Bridging the Cocoons

The ability to hold different points of view simultaneously. That's the skill to develop. Everyone getting to have their say and everyone being able to navigate all that's expressed for the full comprehension and appreciation of all.

Anything short of that brings resentment, misunderstanding, bullying, unilateral decision making, leaving others out, stepping on toes, disprespecting. And that's no fun.

I wonder why we don't do this better. Not wanting to risk losing the stability of our own positions? Inability to comprehend other points of view? Preference for one's own point of view over everyone else's? Not wanting to be bullied by others? Insecurity about holding one's own? Fear of boggling?

We are biased toward our own cocoons. Bridging beyond them is the great challenge. And that means being able to be open to what's going on in others' cocoons.

--Steve

Audiences and Artists

We're all audiences and artists in turns, and not always well matching. Some artists aren't even looking for audiences, yet audiences happen along to critique them anyway. Other artists are dying for audiences to the point of trying to force people to pay attention and show some respect! Meanwhile, audiences are hungry to satisfy their particulars, and quite capable of shrillness when artists don't happen to live up to the kinds of performances they're after. It's nice when artists and audiences happen to find a good fit with each other. That this tends to be rather rare, makes it all the more satisfying when it arrives. The rest seems about damage control, neither being too hurt nor too hurting, too outraged or outrageous, too crazy or crazed, however ill-fitting, one against the other.

It's hard to be any better or different kind of artist than we all naturally are. In fact, it looks bad even trying to be. The spider spins its web not to impress people, and yet, people may be quite impressed. A contestant on So You Think You Can Dance may be trying ever so hard to gain the approval of judges and audiences, and fail miserably, even if inside him self he's having a very good time in his internal reverie.

So, you know, it's touchy, this thing between performers and viewers. Not always an easy relationship. Curious finding the sweet spot between trying one's best but not too hard and for the true right reasons and not the ones destined to disappoint.

--Steve