Have you seen the movie “The Secret“? I really recommend it. I already believed in the power of manifestation before I watched it, but it was refreshing to see it so clearly visually represented. I even know a few skeptical businessmen who were really affected by this movie when it came out in 2006. Anyhow, this past week has been a great reminder for me about the strength of intention in our lives.
I mean, being here in Vienna and heading to Bali in a few hours for more art workshops are both huge examples of manifestation (thanks to the support of the Universe and so many of you!). It’s the smaller examples, however, that remind me daily of the potency of our thoughts and feelings.
Take this week, for instance. You’ve already read how I had wanted a haircut and asked my friend in the Czech Republic for a recommendation while on the way to visit friends I hadn’t seen in over 20 years. Within a couple of hours, sitting in their living room enjoying everyone’s company, I got a great haircut from their now-grown-up daughter who happened to be a hairdresser. That was a super-speed illustration of ask-and-ye-shall-receive. Thanks again Petra!
Well, my last day in Vienna provided me with quite a few more examples / reminders. Here’s how manifestation works. While in the Czech Republic, a few friends talked about going cycling together in May or June. I got so excited and gave a big internal “yes!”. The place they described sounded fantastic and I hadn’t biked since I got to Europe. It was on my wish list. Apart from walking, cycling has been my main mode of transportation for decades. As part of my fundraiser to come here, however, I had followed through on guidance to sell “Baby”, my men’s 10-speed bike that I had had for 31 years and the only possession I shed tears for when it came time to let it go. It had been my vehicle to so much joy, freedom, health, and savings after all, but I hadn’t used it much for 2 years because of all the hills in St. John’s. Anyhow, I put it up for sale online at a really high price and sold it within a day – a clear sign it was meant to be. Keep this cycling story in mind as I take a little detour.
On my last day in the Czech Republic, my friend Lucka suggested we go pick wild garlic to add to our lunch. The idea of picking fresh food in the forest thrilled me, but time ran out, so we used some she had picked the day before instead.
Back to Vienna. I woke up yesterday not expecting to do much except finish packing, bring a last little bag of stuff for storage at school, and meet a couple of folks for lunch. I had put out an invitation to classmates and teachers to join me at The Reform House, a healthy restaurant that serves mostly vegan food: one hot dish and your choice of 3 amazing salads for 7.50€. One of my classmates goes regularly by tram or scooter, but since I didn’t have a transit pass, I never had time to make it there and back to school on time by foot. I would always ask him to report on his choices, however, and kept telling myself I’d go one day. Lunch at the Reform House was definitely on my wish list.
So that’s what I did. I met Timea and Rachel there and had a delicious hot spinach pastry with beet & bean salad, Waldorf celery root salad, and potato salad. Delicious! My original plan was to go back home after that. You can imagine, therefore, how thrilled I was when Timea invited us for a bike ride. OK, well, actually, my first thought was “I don’t want to risk getting hurt before Bali, and most folks here don’t have helmets. Plus I’ve seen how dangerous tourists are when they walk unknowingly across bike paths in the core… I was one of those!”. So, as often is the case, I didn’t say a huge “Yes!” right away. Believe it or not, I’ve always had trouble adjusting to changes in plans and often see the potential danger of things at first. See, it’s all about feeling the fear and doing it anyway. It’s about stretching comfort zones and realizing that Hey! I had asked the Universe for this in the first place through my joy at the idea of cycling just a few days ago. So after a minute of humming and hawing, I did say “Yes!” and had a most magical day!
Timea had 2 bikes, so I took one of those and Rachel registered for the rent-a-bikes that are all over town. Once you’re registered, they’re free for the first hour, and 1€ for the second hour, etc. So from thinking I was only going to stay home and pack while waiting for the next day to arrive, I found myself atop a most comfortable bike (I like sitting up straight – much better for my neck and back than Baby – my next bike will be more like this), cycling on Vienna’s superb bike path network through the city and across the Danube canal, through the Prater Park, and along both the new and old Danube rivers. I should mention that cycling on the Danube Island had been on my wish list since last September when I realized it was way too long to walk. Needless to say, I grinned most of the afternoon, thrilled at the sites along the way, the sunshine, the company, the feeling of zooming down a huge spiral ramp, etc. I even got to help a lady get her friend’s dog out of the river, where it was determined to get itself killed by a couple of equally stubborn swans. Quite the chaos!
It was only when Timea turned onto one of the many dirt paths in the Prater Park and stopped in a field of wild garlic that I realized I was living the power of manifestation in triple (Reform House, cycling, and picking wild garlic!). I believe that my simple “I’d love that!” feeling in Omice on Wednesday opened up this opportunity with Timea. I wanted to pick garlic, and I did. Perfect!
What a magical day indeed! As we sat near the new Danube river, me with a cola popsicle (something I hadn’t had since I was a child – so good, especially since I haven’t even had a Coke in years), and them with beer and pastry, I marveled at the law of attraction. Joyful thoughts and feelings coupled with clear intention and letting go had once again led to what I wanted, as well as to deep gratitude (part of the cycle). Thank you Universe, Czech friends, Timea & Rachel, and Higher Self, who helped me get past the initial “No, I’m too scared” feelings that almost stop me from living my life at times. What a great reminder as I head off this morning for my big adventure in Bali. All is well indeed!
So here I am at the Vienna Airport – 6 hours early. OK, I’ll admit, 6 hours is really early even for me, but I was ready and waiting at home anyway and no longer had my Internet cable. Plus the public transit system is amazing here! So now I can use the free wi-fi, people-watch, and ensure I won’t miss my plane due to some unforeseen event or long line-ups at security…. I don’t mind sitting around, especially after all that great exercise yesterday. I can daydream, meditate, set intention, pray, and think pretty well anywhere. Time to manifest a great month in Bali.
What thoughts and feelings are you projecting out to the Universe?
Magical Manifestation – Cycling in Vienna
/in My Travels, Vienna - Life and TourismHave you seen the movie “The Secret“? I really recommend it. I already believed in the power of manifestation before I watched it, but it was refreshing to see it so clearly visually represented. I even know a few skeptical businessmen who were really affected by this movie when it came out in 2006. Anyhow, this past week has been a great reminder for me about the strength of intention in our lives.
Well, my last day in Vienna provided me with quite a few more examples / reminders. Here’s how manifestation works. While in the Czech Republic, a few friends talked about going cycling together in May or June. I got so excited and gave a big internal “yes!”. The place they described sounded fantastic and I hadn’t biked since I got to Europe. It was on my wish list. Apart from walking, cycling has been my main mode of transportation for decades. As part of my fundraiser to come here, however, I had followed through on guidance to sell “Baby”, my men’s 10-speed bike that I had had for 31 years and the only possession I shed tears for when it came time to let it go. It had been my vehicle to so much joy, freedom, health, and savings after all, but I hadn’t used it much for 2 years because of all the hills in St. John’s. Anyhow, I put it up for sale online at a really high price and sold it within a day – a clear sign it was meant to be. Keep this cycling story in mind as I take a little detour.
Back to Vienna. I woke up yesterday not expecting to do much except finish packing, bring a last little bag of stuff for storage at school, and meet a couple of folks for lunch. I had put out an invitation to classmates and teachers to join me at The Reform House, a healthy restaurant that serves mostly vegan food: one hot dish and your choice of 3 amazing salads for 7.50€. One of my classmates goes regularly by tram or scooter, but since I didn’t have a transit pass, I never had time to make it there and back to school on time by foot. I would always ask him to report on his choices, however, and kept telling myself I’d go one day. Lunch at the Reform House was definitely on my wish list.
It was only when Timea turned onto one of the many dirt paths in the Prater Park and stopped in a field of wild garlic that I realized I was living the power of manifestation in triple (Reform House, cycling, and picking wild garlic!). I believe that my simple “I’d love that!” feeling in Omice on Wednesday opened up this opportunity with Timea. I wanted to pick garlic, and I did. Perfect!
What a magical day indeed! As we sat near the new Danube river, me with a cola popsicle (something I hadn’t had since I was a child – so good, especially since I haven’t even had a Coke in years), and them with beer and pastry, I marveled at the law of attraction. Joyful thoughts and feelings coupled with clear intention and letting go had once again led to what I wanted, as well as to deep gratitude (part of the cycle). Thank you Universe, Czech friends, Timea & Rachel, and Higher Self, who helped me get past the initial “No, I’m too scared” feelings that almost stop me from living my life at times. What a great reminder as I head off this morning for my big adventure in Bali. All is well indeed!
So here I am at the Vienna Airport – 6 hours early. OK, I’ll admit, 6 hours is really early even for me, but I was ready and waiting at home anyway and no longer had my Internet cable. Plus the public transit system is amazing here! So now I can use the free wi-fi, people-watch, and ensure I won’t miss my plane due to some unforeseen event or long line-ups at security…. I don’t mind sitting around, especially after all that great exercise yesterday. I can daydream, meditate, set intention, pray, and think pretty well anywhere. Time to manifest a great month in Bali.
What thoughts and feelings are you projecting out to the Universe?
More Friendships in the Czech Republic
/in My TravelsI am so grateful for my time in the Czech Republic. I always am. After the 2 days described in the previous 2 posts, I got to spend time with my good friends Lenka from Blansko …
If you remember, I spent a day teaching at both Soña’s school and Lenka’s back in December (see post). Lenka’s extroverted nature is no doubt a strong contributing factor to my having learned the language so quickly back in the 90s. It used to take us forever to get to the shops down the street, not because she was pushing a baby stroller, but because we stopped to chat with everyone on the way. Between that and kitchen socials everywhere, it was the perfect learning environment! I really recommend total immersion in social cultures if you want to learn a language… although past lives also help! Anyway, it was great to have time alone with Lenka to catch up on life, both at her place and during our drive to Brno, where we met Lucka for a late lunch on Tuesday.
We had a delicious meal together at La Patas before visiting Lucka’s school nearby. Seems most of my friends here are teachers / principals. There are 4 classes of about 30 children each between the ages of 3 and 6. I was thrilled to see that these kindergarten children have also been colouring mandalas – no doubt Lucka’s influence. I returned the next day to spend 2.5 hours with Lucka’s class. They’ve been learning English, so I played and read stories with small groups at a time when they woke up from their naps (so cute!) and then the whole class demonstrated English songs and games they had learned. Again – so cute! Teachers here teach half days and there is extra staff for the kitchen (they get hot lunches and then healthy snacks after their nap) and to assist in dressing them up after school or piling up the little beds before playtime, etc. Seems like they’ve got a good system – except for all the bureaucratic tasks that Lucka explained takes away time and resources from the children.
On Tuesday night, Lucka and I had a girl’s night at her house in Omice, a beautiful little village 11km from Brno. Her husband and youngest son had gone to Poland to watch the oldest son, Stefan Zigardy, play in the final playoffs of the Polish National Hockey League. Lucka stayed behind because she had an important meeting with other school directors and the mayor earlier that day (lucky for me). Our girls’ night consisted of pigging out on a variety of healthy and non-healthy snacks while we watched the game on her computer and I finished the previous post on mine. The game was tied 1-1 and had to go into overtime, so I really got to see Stefan, the goalie, in action. Unfortunately, after a few shots during the shootout (I had to look up the term as I’m so not into sports), the other team scored the winning goal. The finals continue, however – the champions have to win 4 games before earning the title. So far, it’s 1-1.
Wednesday morning, I woke up to the song of birds and had a few leisurely hours before Lucka came down for breakfast. We then went for a lovely walk through Omice. It may be a small village of 800, but Stefan isn’t the only sports star from around here. Wimbledon champion Jana Novotna also lives here now. During our walk, I found out it’s also a heritage site – there’s an old volcano here. As you can see in the shot where Lucka is crouching beside her dog Buddy, however, there’s not much of it left to see – only a small dip in the grass.
After a few days of cold and rainy weather, it was great to see the sun again. After our walk, we had a huge meal (Lucka can cook!) and headed to town. When we returned a few hours later, we visited her neighbour Klara, a professional ceramist. Wow! She does the occasional exhibition, but prefers to hang on to her work rather than sell it. Her studio and house are filled with gorgeous examples of the very many styles she has explored over 40+ years. Impressive and inspiring!
Another Great Day Exploring the Czech Countryside
/in My TravelsOn Monday, I woke up to another moody sky over the red tiled roofs that move me every time I see them.
In addition to English/Czech lessons, we also all got a bit of history and phys-ed in the mix as we visited the surrounding countryside. First, we stopped at the Church of Saint George (Bořitov) whose oldest section was built in the 12th century.
We then visited a palace in Lysice (but only from outside as it was still closed for the season), so we made plans to return in May or June to visit the gardens. Next, we headed for lunch nearby and all ordered the daily special: cauliflower soup, chicken nuggets, and parsley or mashed potatoes.
After lunch, we headed back to their place, where Milan’s wife Julie was back home from work and put out an irresistible display of sweets, including vetrniky, a kind of pastry that I remembered from 20 years ago…. so I had to have 2.
We drove Julie back to work and then went hiking in and around Bull Rock Cave (Býčí skála). Much to my delight, Aisha, their 10-month old puppy and a very cooperative model, joined us. There’s lots of history in these caves. In addition to various artifacts, including a small bronze bull, many skeletons were found here and evidence of violent deaths.
We left the trail at Stara Hut – an old iron processing station. Adam and I narrowly escaped the big white teeth of a small white dog when we tried to cross the street at an ecological centre. Milan had gone with Aisha to get the car. It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to understand a dog’s body language when it’s protecting its territory – luckily its warning didn’t proceed to a bite – so we continued along the trail and safely crossed at a nearby bridge. Phew!
On our way back home, we picked up Julie at her mother’s place, which had been in the family for generations. Adam has a small black Vietnamese pig there, but the lighting made it hard to photograph, so you’ll have to take my word for it. Take a look at these wonderful beehives instead – no longer in use. The chicken is real though!
No amount of fresh air and exercise would make me hungry enough for another big meal at dinner time, however. So the very good restaurant in their small town of Ràjec prepared me a half portion of chicken stir-fry while the others enjoyed chicken or venison steaks and gnocchi. Soña joined Milan’s family and I for dinner (Antonin had left for Poland that morning for work), so I went back home to Blansko with her and didn’t even look at my photos that night – instead, I had a great sleep.
What a wonderful day – another one. I look forward to coming back in May or June – we’ve already discussed some of the wonderful things we could do once the weather got better. Thanks Milan – for our time together and for the photos of me to prove to folks that I really was there.
Beloved Czech Republic
/in My TravelsI’m back in the Czech Republic for my 3rd visit in 6 months. I love it here! I’ve already written about how this place feels like home (see previous post) and how I was blessed to make such good friends when I lived here in the early 90s.
We then drove a bit to the Austerlitz Peace Monument, at the highest elevation overlooking the battle grounds.
As far as photography, however, my favourite time of the day was in the car shooting through the rain on the windows. I can’t remember ever doing that and I knew that even if nothing turned out, I was having great fun. I was thrilled with some of the results.
We stopped at Stará Po˜sta (The Old Post Office) for lunch – I couldn’t resist a totally unhealthy deep fried cheese & potato fritters – just like in the 90s. Once was enough for this trip though. While there, we visited the monument to the fallen horses of the Austerlitz Battle. Have you seen the movie War Horse (2011)? I recommend it.
I was just as happy when we arrived in Vyškov-Hamiltony – seeing Roman & Hanka again and later Jarek and his new wife. Once again, however, what a shock to see how their children had grown and to meet some of the grandchildren and new children. Time is always more evident with young ones. Their land had also developed a lot since I was there last – now it’s an active farm with a jersey cow, ducks, horses, and 30 sheep with 37 lambs, some of them 1 day old! They sell sheep’s milk, yoghurt, and cheese, among other things.
Once inside, I got to watch some of the movies that Roman made – short documentaries and action promos for the military and various outdoors sports. What talent! He’s had an action-filled life with lots of careers in the past couple of decades. It was great to catch up. After chatting and enjoying the most amazing cake ever, their daughter Petra gave me a haircut. There was no refusing! I had asked Soña earlier in the day to recommend a hairdresser in her town so that I could get a haircut before going to Bali. Everything is more affordable in the Czech Republic than in Vienna. Well, not a few hours later, I’d had a great haircut while continuing to enjoy the conversation in the adjoining room. Talk about hospitality – famous in these parts for sure. I’ve always loved the informal, social, fun, loving spirit of the Moravian people. They continue to warm my heart. Thanks!
Still stuffed from lunch and post-lunch snacks/deserts, we headed to Blansko to meet Milan, his son Adam, Iva and later Honza (Antonin & Soña’s grown children) for dinner at U Golem. I still managed to enjoy my plate of duck with cabbage & potato dumplings, but I didn’t manage to finish it. The leftovers are in Iva’s fridge. After looking at some of my pictures, I quickly fell asleep and slept very well. I am now looking forward to my day. Stay tuned for the next post.
End of Winter Term at the Vienna Academy of Visionary Art
/in Vienna Academy of Visionary ArtsThis is going to be a quick one as I’m off to the bus station soon to go to the Czech Republic to spend time with good friends before heading to Bali next weekend. But I wanted to share this before I go.
These past few days were my last as a full-time student at the Vienna Academy of Visionary Art . I’ll be back in May-June, but only as a part-time student as their Spring trimester will already be underway. It doesn’t feel like I’m leaving, however – just going for a holiday (a long one that involves 3 other art workshops).
I finished my paintings earlier in the week, and so on Thursday, I spent most of my time helping prepare for the Equinox Party and photographing paintings (the names of the photos include the artist’s name).
Yesterday, after our closing circle, which included disassembling our altar, we gave the classroom a major overhaul for last night’s Equinox Party. I wish I had had before & after shots. What a transformation! Unfortunately, my iPhone didn’t cooperate yesterday, so although the photos give you a good idea, they’re not great. Sorry 🙁
I spent most of my time at my Pay-What-You-Want table where I had put out a lot of my sketches, drawings, classroom projects and photography. I really enjoyed engaging in conversation with the many party-goers. Some didn’t know about the Academy – they had come because of our association with Avaloka – the popular organizers of sacred dance and healing arts events here in Vienna. I enjoyed sharing stories of experiences, answering questions, and lightening my load of stuff to store. In the end, I made enough to cover all my meals in Bali for the month. Perfect! The party ended at 12:30am, 1.5 hours before it was scheduled to as noise complaints from the residents in neighbouring buildings shut us down. Oh well… The dance club on the main floor of the Palais Palffy must have soundproof walls…
It’s been a fantastic 6 months, but as I said, it’s not over. It’s just the end of another chapter. I’ll keep on blogging about my adventures, so if you’re curious, sign-up on the top-right to receive email notices of my future posts.
Happy Equinox!
/in My Travels, Vienna - Life and Tourism, Vienna Academy of Visionary ArtsI had no idea that the Equinox wasn’t always on the 21st. It was actually at 5:57pm today (about an hour ago as I write this) here in Vienna.
Spring has definitely sprung in Vienna – big time! My lunchtime walk to the pay-what-you-can Pakistani buffet, Deewan, was probably my favourite lunchbreak of the whole trimester! So many signs of Spring (if not summer!):
* first day with open-toed sandals,
* couples getting their wedding photos done outdoors
* the flowers have been planted and the trees are in full bloom
* the parks are busy
* the fountains have been turned on
* the rose bushes have been uncovered and the chairs brought out in the the Volksgarten
* the number of tour groups clogging up the streets (yes, I’m talking like a local) have quadrupled
* and so have the number of services catering to tourists
What a glorious day indeed! I’m glad I had my iPhone with me to take pictures. Oh – and the lunch was great! Tomorrow, we celebrate the end of our trimester with an Equinox Party & art exhibition – if you’re in town, do drop by. Lots to see and do!
“Lighting the Way” – Dedicated to my Parents
/in Paintings, Vienna Academy of Visionary ArtsAs one classmate said, all paintings can be considered self-portraits. This is the first time, however, that I have consistently felt like I was painting my essence, my journey. It is true, I usually wear flowing clothes and now have short hair… that’s not the kind of self-portrait I mean. Instead, it it is a visual representation of the sacred connections that have guided me all along my evolutionary path in this lifetime.
The Symbolism:
You may have read about the process and symbolism in several previous posts. As a quick recap, it honours:
The Chosen Name:
For all of these reasons, I have chosen the name “Lighting the Way”, a name offered by Sherrill Miller in Grandora, Saskatchewan. It captures the essence of my enlightened connections, of never being truly alone, and of the feeling of growth and expansion represented by this piece. Thanks so much Sherrill for that suggestion and to all those who participated – there were so many good names to choose from. I’m holding on to all your suggestions for future paintings. Know that your contributions have inspired me.
Dedicated to My Beloved Parents:
I dedicate “Lighting the Way” to two very special people who have made my life and my life’s journey possible. Thank you Maman et Papa! You are a crucial part of my root system here on Earth. I take this opportunity to publicly thank you for having provided such a strong foundation for me to grow from. Your courage to follow your own paths, leading to your blessed meeting in Europe, has no doubt flowed into my blood stream. I grew up thinking anything was possible and that I could shape my life the way I wanted. Tears are flowing from my eyes as I write this – tears of deep gratitude and joy. You respected my introverted, imaginative, and sensitive nature and didn’t discourage my solo adventures at such a young age (in a time and place where this was much safer than today). You fostered my curiosity and supported/encouraged my education and my dreams. You opened me up to the wonders of travel. You were attentive to my needs in so many ways and nourished my creativity by allowing both my exploration and expression. You comforted me when the realities of the world were hard to bare and helped me face them when all I wanted to do was hide. Through your dependability, integrity, and equanamity, you taught me how to function in this world. You also provided a strong spiritual foundation – introducing me to God, Jesus and the Roman Catholic church – and accepted when my spirituality moved away from organized religion. Indeed, you’ve rarely tried to influence any of my choices, trusting me and my Guidance, even if my choices were so different from that of yours and most of your generation. Truth be told, you loved me to the very best of your ability throughout my entire life – caring for my happiness with few expectations. This too is part of my self-portrait – the roots that spread above and beneath ground. Thank you for the role that you have played in my life – when I say that without you I wouldn’t be here, I mean so much more than the obvious. Along with all those more evidently represented in this painting, you have lighted my way and continue to do so. I love you!
(Oh yes, you also learned to accept my very different ways of expressing myself. 🙂 )
3 Days to Go – VAVA Works In Progress
/in Paintings, Vienna Academy of Visionary ArtsThere are only 3 days left to this trimester. The other five students are returning to the Vienna Academy of Visionary Art full time next trimester; nevertheless, everyone is working hard to move their projects forward. It will be really nice to have our work on display at the Equinox Party & Exhibition on Friday night, some works in progress and some for sale. May those find good homes!
WORKS IN PROGRESS:
Here’s a glimpse at what the others have been working on these days.
Martin Cash:
Elizabeth (Lizzy) Banker:
Hadley Seymore:
Kevin Campeau:
Rachel Lubeck:
Timea Tallian (teacher):
I’ll have more to show of everyone’s work later as I’m bringing in my good camera and tripod tomorrow for students who want me to photograph their pieces. I’ve also been working on name tags for all the paintings we’ll have on display. I’m used to this kind of work, plus I don’t want to start any new projects, especially since I’ve been packing up my gear for Bali. It always feels good to de-clutter and organize. I’ve even put a pile of drawings and projects together to offer to party-goers at a “Pay What You Can” price – I don’t want to ship everything back to Canada to sit on a shelf and the funds will help with my upcoming art workshop travels. No expectations – I’m simply open to the possibilities. By the way, none of my paintings on canvas or panel are part of that deal… sorry.
Please Help Name this Painting
/in Paintings, Vienna Academy of Visionary Arts4 days to go before the end of trimester party and exhibition/sale! I’m almost done.
It’s all about being connected to Source, to guiding spirits / totem animals, to angels, to Love and to the Higher Self on our evolutionary journey. I usually “download” titles during the painting process, but oddly, for this self-portrait of sorts, I haven’t … I came up with “Never Alone” just this morning, but being big on the guidelines for wording affirmations, I try to avoid negatives.
And added the Light that comes from the joining of hands, of Heaven & Earth, of Psyche & Amore – the Light of constant support, companionship, Love.
So what do you think a good title would be?
Weekly Wrap-Up
/in Vienna Academy of Visionary ArtsThings are winding down at the Vienna Academy of Visionary Art, but they aren’t slowing down. Everyone is working hard to finish paintings and get ready for the end of term party/exhibition next Friday. If you’re in Vienna, it promises to be a great evening.
As for my self portrait (still unnamed), Timea is helping me restyle the angel’s hair. I had created quite a 70s feathered shag- a colourful chaotic mop that distracted the eye. We applied dark tempera and an oil glaze and will continue reshaping it next week when his hair dries 🙂 I like it darker – Next week I’ll restyle it in white casein and glaze it in blue. I also added reflected lighting on the back of his thigh and back – an important element of dimension. Can you see the difference?
We didn’t have any yoga or live figure drawing this week, but we were fortunate to have two great lectures in 2 weeks.
I promise to show you more of my classmates’ work next week – I was pretty focused on my own this week.
Apart from that, I’ve submitted my taxes – a month-long process (with occasional procrastination – this week’s evening YouTube movie theme was the life and works of Jane Austen). What a relief (about both the taxes and having been born – in this lifetime anyway – in our modern world, where being a female artist / entrepreneur is much easier)! By the way, I really recommend Turbo Tax (got a discount through TD bank’s website). I’ve been using their online services for over a decade – easy interview questions that guide you through the process – important for me as a self-employed artist. This year was a bit complicated with my fundraising and being here in Vienna, so I was so very grateful for their live text chat with a tax expert feature – I went from owing a little over $500 to getting back almost $300 – a perceived savings of $800… not bad!
This weekend, I’m packing up my apartment so that I can bring some of my stuff to Laurence & Florence’s for when I’m away in Bali. When I come back, I’ll be moving into a different apartment in the same student residence – my 3rd in 10 months. This is an opportunity to de-clutter and organize yet again, but it’s also showing me that I’m not as good at simple living as I’d like to be… I’ve been thinking a lot about that – first, because I think too much, but also because I’m in the process of writing an article on simple living for Think Different, Feel Different. I’ll also be teaching a workshop on that again and one on developing intuition in Salmonier, NL at a Body, Mind & Spirit Retreat in November, so I need to prepare a write-up this weekend for that too. Between all that and my e-course on the business of art, I don’t think I’ll get a long hike in this weekend. That’s OK – there’s strong wind and rain in the forecast. Next weekend, I’ll head to the Czech Republic to visit my friends for a few days – a perfect way to end the trimester. By then, the weather forecast is for 22 degrees (50F) – let’s hope it stays that way as I’ll only have lighter clothing left to wear for the next 2 weeks!