26. February 2011 by Marie Pinschmidt.

“Every grain of experience is food for the greedy, growing soul of the artist”.  This is a quote by a British author, Anthony Burgess.

 I don’t know about you, dear readers, but I’m bone tired. Yet, this artist/writer is greedy to learn more, do more, and continue to grow. I wonder if this is unique with artists. We never reach a point where we’re totally satisfied with our knowledge of the painting  or writing process. We always think we can do better and chronically search for new ways of doing things. Our heads are full of images, words, subject matter, and new ways to bring our thoughts to fruition. My latest book, a memoir, is about to be tossed out to the world, and I should feel energized. Instead, I’m mentally tired and emotionally ambivalant about how it will be perceived. But, like Hemingway, “my aim is to put down on paper what I see and what I feel in the best and simplest way”.  Tonight, I will shut down the computer in my brain, get a refreshing night’s sleep, and with the morning sunrise rise to accomplish the tasks of another day.

The state of our world is no doubt another reason for my present and hopefully temporary frame of mind. We’re bombarded with depressing news reports of world wide unrest, natural catastrophies, stories of children being abused and often killed, and seemingly few authority figures doing anything about it. Perhaps we’ve all become too complacent, too accepting of every kind of behavior known to man. It is unrealistic to think we, as individuals, can change the world stage. However, we can start a ripple in the stream within our own families and communities by playing a bit part in the world drama, while encouraging the stars to give us their best performance.

Thank you for allowing me to bare my soul to some degree and always remember, the thoughts and feelings of the moment will disappear because change is inevitable and more often than not, change is a good thing.  

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1. February 2011 by Marie Pinschmidt.

Ah! February, a time when our fancies turn to thoughts of Love. Let’s make a promise to each other, wherever we are in cyberspace, to allow ourselves to love each other this February. Surely we can do this for one month. We may find it brings such happiness, we’ll continue throughout the year.

 Kahlil Gibran said LOVE “is to wake at dawn with a winged heart and give thanks for another day of loving; to rest at the noon hour and meditate love’s estasy; to return home at eventide with gratitude; and then sleep with a prayer for the beloved in your heart and a song of praise upon your lips.” Sounds like paradise, doesn’t it?

 There are too many interpretations of the word to list here; it’s quicker to list what love isn’t: hate, disgust, comtempt, repulsion, loathe, detest. At the highest level, love is a synonym of God. If we can erase these negative words from our vocabulary, as well as our psyche, then we are capable of great love. Whether romantic love, familial love, love of nature, love of friends, etc., we are blessed to be able to have these feelings. Not only will we live longer (hate is much more draining than love) but our lives will be filled with joy regardless of our situations. Love may not move mountains but it can help us climb the highest peaks and return safely to a valley of contentment.

Plan ahead for this Valentine’s Day instead of rushing by a flower stand at the last moment, or picking up a box of chocolates from the drug store on your way home.  Those of you fortunate enough to have a significant other, think of what attracted you in the first place. Put aside the petty grievances and think of him/her with tenderness and respect - even if they are less than perfect. An unexpected kiss on the cheek or a simple “I understand” can sometimes level that mountain of hurt or disillusionment. If something happens to either of you, it will be the small, kind and loving things you will remember most.

I think you will all agree that most of the turmoil, unrest, fighting and destruction in the world is due to hate and dislike for others who have different passions than our own. This is often also true in disfunctional families; a lack of consideration for the feelings of others, a lack of respect for our differences and opinions, a disrespect for authority, or a need to feel superior and always right. 

“I love you” are powerful words - to give or receive. However, they are just words unless they are backed up by action. Allow yourself to show those around you that you love them, do it with kindness and sincerity, and it will be returned beyond your wildest dream.

 If you haven’t already done so, read my books; they’re all about LOVE.

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14. November 2010 by Marie Pinschmidt.

I apologize; I can’t seem to post the photo of the painting for my book cover. I will do so as soon as possible.

Thanks for your patience.

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10. November 2010 by Marie Pinschmidt.

I’ve spent the week torturing myself with thoughts such as: Is my painting good enough for a book cover for my memoir “Life Interrupted“? Does the book itself have any merit? Etc. Etc. Finally, today, I put an extra brush stroke of light on the pillow in the painting and called it finished. It was time to wrap the baby up and get on with other activities. The brush went into a jar of turpentine to be properly cleaned later. But my struggle with self-doubt and frustration wasn’t over.

I got my camera to take a photo I’d promised the publisher a week ago, and at first click the bateries died! They hadn’t been working hard enough to be tired, let alone ill enough to die. So it is with digital cameras. Trip to the store for new batteries, and, like every other purchase these days, I was faced with multiple choices. I finally chose the ones guaranteed to have a longer lifespan of usefullness, drove back home in the rain and had a cup of tea. Finally, the rain turned to sunshine and I was able to get a number of shots in natural light. (Using a flash on an oil painting almost always produces a flashback.) I uploaded the pictures onto my computer, cropped the images, adjusted the contrast and brightness and deleted the rejects. Hopefully, the design team will be able to incorporate the image into a great book cover. However, like the deleted photos, will my audience reject the cover and consequently the contents of the book? Such is the life of a writer.

Self-doubt continued to hover over me much like the clouds that brought the earlier rain. I wasn’t a celebrity or a politician; not a “person of interest”, at least from my perspective, so why would anyone want to read about any part of my life? Because I’d spent a year looking at my life with Norm through a rearview mirror, a year of writing and perfecting the dang thing? Or perhaps the title would encourage others to refuse to give up when their problems seemed insurmountable? Would “Life Interrupted” help readers feel less alone in their own interrupted lives of dreams unrealized, desires unfulfilled, plans made only to fall apart in the blink of an eye? How many would be interested in reading a book about living, loving and loss? Would they question whether the book had a happy ending as in a romance novel? Perhaps the painting of the weary doctor on the cover would catch their attention, or maybe they would expect the author to have something unique to say or at least a unique way of saying it?

Authors never wish to disappoint a reader, to experience that humiliation. Happy endings are usually anticipated in works of fiction; the same is true of memoir. A book is supposed to also elicit some degree of emotion in the reader, and I’m told my memoir will do just that; sadness, frustration, disbelief. However, the story is interspersed with passages of love, laughter, forgiveness, and, more importantly, a feeling of obstacles overcome, growth and fulfillment in unexpected ways, and what some might interpret as a miracle or two.

I guess I’m trying to say, as a writer with enormous self-doubt, if there is a chance that my words might help others, I am obligated to release them to the world, and allow the world to have its way with them. Life Interrupted is my way of saying “I love you” to my readers and all who helped me in so many ways to be who I am today - imperfect - yet continuing to search and learn from life’s experiences.

The photo is the oil I painted for incorporation in the cover design.

 Thanks for listening. Until next time………..Marie

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8. October 2010 by Marie Pinschmidt.

As promised, this is my new book pricing to take effect immediately and run through Dec. 15th. These prices are for books ordered through my website only. Other book stores set their own prices. For autographed copies (see my previous post) contact me directly at MariePin001@comcast.net.  These new lower prices are my Holiday Gift to all of you in appreciation for checking into my site over the past year. I will be making no profit on these sales, so do your shopping early. Prices apply to all three titles: Man on the Balcony, Maggie’s Retreat, and Spanish Moss.

 l Book  -    $10.00     2 Books  - $18.00  3 or more Books - $8.50 each.  Simply add $3.00 for postage (another saving).

Give a personally autographed gift of love to yourself or those on your list.

“Tis better to give than receive”.  Happy shopping.

My next book, a memoir, hopefully will be available before the Holidays. I will notify you of the exact date of availability.

Happy Reading.

Marie

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22. September 2010 by Marie Pinschmidt.

Gosh! September is almost gone. School has started and before we can wink the Holiday Season will be here again. To get into the Holiday spirit, I will be posting a reduced price list for my three novels to make your gift-giving easier and more economical this year. Books can be ordered directly from me and autographed specifically to the persons on your list.  So get your list ready, so we can avoid the rush and long lines at the postoffice. Price list and instructions will be posted soon. Even gift-wrapping can be arranged.

Enjoy a refreshing Autumn wherever you may be.  Marie  

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7. September 2010 by Marie Pinschmidt.

 Hello everyone. I trust your summer has been pleasant; that you’ve participated in the making of new memories and found new places to explore. On the other hand, if spending a quiet summer at home, tending the garden, neighborhood barbecues, etc. are your cup of tea I hope you are restored physically, mentally, and emotionally.

I’ve spent my summer months (it’s always summer-like in southeastern Florida) catching up on home improvements, enjoying the companionship of good friends, and trying to avoid the temptation to publish a memoir of my life with a very special man. The weather has been cooler here than up north, but I may be seduced to make a road trip to Ohio in October to visit relatives while drinking in the colorful autumn foliage. I only hope a threatening hurricane will not dictate the time of my departure.

I’ve completed a three-quarter oil portrait commission this summer and also written the first chapter of a new novel - a totally different type of story from my other three novels. This one will require considerable research and, frankly, I’m not sure I can muster up the audacity to attempt the project. However, I’ve learned that when the time is right, I’ll sit down and put fingers to the keyboard with serious intent. The publishing industry is not particularly encouraging to writers in spite of astounding new technology for dispersal of the written word. Can you imagine a world with traditional books?

Soon, my snowbird neighbors will be returning to their winter homes. They will arrive one by one or ten by ten, hurricane shutters will open to mild tropical breezes and patio doors will swing wide. Sweaters and long pants will be exchanged for golf and tennis shorts and sun screen will disappear from drug store shelves. Traffic will increase and lines will be longer at restaurants and grocery checkout counters. Unlike many natives, I look forward to their return as some have become close friends. The neighborhood has been a bit too lonely without them.

I pray the world situation will improve, more of our men and women will return from foreign battlefields, and all hearts filled with worry and uncertainty will find an end to their struggles. My wish is that all of you will experience a sense of thanksgiving for every blessings in a world of unrest.

I would love to hear of any special experiences you’ve had this summer.

Until next time, Marie

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8. June 2010 by Marie Pinschmidt.

Some of life’s most troublesome happenings are chalked up to fate, serendipity, paying the piper, God’s punishment, or if you’re of a more complacent nature - just the law of averages. I’m thinking at the moment of the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, and the number of humans and wild life it has and will continue to devastate.

 New Orleans and environs have had their share of tragedy. I lived there for eleven years and had good friends in the Galliano and Grand Isle area. My husband, on occasion, escaped his medical responsibilities in New Orleans by spending a day on a shrimp boat with a Cajun patient, arriving home with an ice chest of fresh shrimp and blue crabs straight from the waters of the Gulf - fruits of the sea unsurpassed in taste and freshness. I now wonder how the warm and friendly residents of that area, as well as those in other Gulf towns depending on the marvelous waters for their livlihood, will cope during this lingering crisis.

The extent of this tragedy can only be fully realized by observing the miles and miles of colorful net-draped shrimp boats lined up along the banks of bayous; vessels of every size, color and monetary value. At daybreak, families of pelicans languidly perch on pilings like finials to wish a bon voyage to the skippers, and at end of day enthusiastically welcome them home knowing that treats of fish will be thrown to them like Mardi Gras beads from a carnival float. Their satiated bodies will then succumb to the night as another gorgeous sunset tints the flat, marshy land with warmth. Along with seagulls, ibis and herons they put their faith in the promise of another sunrise and continued nourishment from the lands and waterways that make up their habitat. Is even their faith now at stake?

This is not just another news story any more than the tragedy of Katrina, and this brings me to my subject of ironies. The morning the levees broke in New Orleans, I had just finished writing a novel, Man on the Balcony, with much of the setting in The Crescent City. I remember thinking how quickly that event dated my story, since New Orleans would never be the same. My third novel, Spanish Moss, released in September, takes place in The Garden District and the story line contains considerable prose about the Bayou Country and its Cajun inhabitants; the beauty and uniqueness seen through the eyes of an artist. Ironic timing; probably - yet insignificant compared to the irony of a second tragedy to the coast line of Louisiana and now threatening, as well, the entire framework of the Gulf of Mexico, including our Florida beaches. The possibility that the destructive tentacles of this man-made monster could also threaten the Eastern shores boggles the imagination - and who can guess the fallout from another active hurricane season?

It seems to me we should be better prepared for the “what ifs” of life. A surgeon goes into the operating room prepared with knowledge of a second course of action should a procedure go wrong or he’s confronted with the unexpected. Shouldn’t our governments and industry be better prepared for ironic or unexpected possibilities when the stakes are so high for so many? Should those in charge be allowed to sink their heads in the sands of complacency, in a state of denial, or asleep at the wheel? Is this America, or a third world country that has to depend on outside resources for salvation? Granted, the oil spill was a rare occurrence, but it’s the rare occurences that shock us with their devastating sequelae.

Perhaps it’s time to return to the tried and true motto of the Boy Scouts of America: BE PREPARED.          ********

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27. March 2010 by Marie Pinschmidt.

In an era of political and social unrest, breakdown of morals and increased crime, it’s easy to lose our JOY. Lately I have noticed a shortage of individuals who appear to be enjoying themselves. We tend to concentrate on things that are wrong in our personal lives as well as the outside world. We seem to have lost touch with ourselves and most of the things that bring happiness are overshadowed by worry and unrest. I’m not saying the things robbing us of our JOY are unimportant or don’t need to be addressed and dealt with in an effective manner; but in order to preserve our mental and physical health, perhaps we need to reassess our attitude as well as how we spend our time.

How many of you live or have lived on a farm? How many write, paint, dance, decorate, or engage in sports? How many wish you had time for more creative activities ? How many have a great idea for a book. When I talk to a group it is amazing how many hands go up in response to that question.  Do you want to be a writer, or do you want to have been a writer. Most of us fail to do the required work so only dream of the latter.

Perhaps we should approach life like a railroad crossing and stop, look, and listen. How often do you look at the sky and study the constantly changing clouds? Do you ever yearn to be removed from human language, the constant interference by all our modern technological tools?

Like writers and painters, we must soak in or absorb scent, sight, sounds and textures. Get in closer contact with self. How does your skin respond to temperature change, or the brush of a leaf against your forehead? Is it possible to reawaken our nerve endings to the sensations we experienced in childhood?

We humans are the only animals on earth unhappy with ourselves. Does a white-tailed deer want to look like a hippo, or a porcupine like a gazelle? There is too much emphasis on beauty - fitting the mold of acceptability. What if all wild animals looked alike? Can you imagine how boring nature would be if there were only one species of trees or flowers? Can’t we celebrate our uniqueness; open our hearts wide to other possibilities? Even hurting means we’re alive.

We fret about physical attributes. Who decides what is physically acceptable and what isn’t? They should be voted out of office. Why do we allow the opinions of others to rob us of our JOY? We’re too short, too bald, too childish, a stuffed-shirt, a slob, and the most troubling one - too fat. Consider a WATERMELON. It doesn’t mind being fat - we choose the fattest one at the market. A watermelon is GENEROUS - it begs you to eat it! A PEACH is also generous, juicy; its nectar fills you with JOY. Lets show the world we’re a PEACH not a PARSNIP!

DISCOUNT THINGS THAT TAKE TOO MUCH TIME! What if we had to peel grapes? I don’t even buy ones with seeds!

REINVENT YOUR CHILDHOOD: I’ve found JOY in a field of cosmos, or as a child, walking in the woods and finding may-apples hiding beneath umbrella-like leaves,  or picking blackberries. Eating my mother’s fresh blackberry cobblers brought a special JOY. Watching fog lift to reveal a field of Queen Ann’s lace, or fog wrapping itself around a lamp post on an empty city street can bring JOY. Think of a bus driver - a lonely job before the city awakens. I’ll bet he finds JOY in the solitude, the stillness before the traffic and blasting horns invade his day. What is more JOYFUL than seeing, feeling, or smelling the blossoms of orange or other fruit trees? How often do you go the beach and drink in a sunrise or sunset - all by yourself?

Creative action of any kind can bring JOY not only for ourselves but to the observers as well.  In a topsy-turvy world and uncertain future, I challenge you to briefly revisit and reclaim the things in your past that brought you JOY. Only if we open our eyes to the beauty of the world, and embrace nature and all living things, can we expect to maintain a JOYFUL future.

Would you take a moment and share with me how you maintain JOY in your life, and indicate whether I can share your response with others?

Thank you, and may SPRING bring you a special JOY.    ““““` 

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5. February 2010 by Marie Pinschmidt.

Stephen King, prior to becoming famous for his writing, worked at a gas station, and in a laundramat. His wife worked at Dunkin’ Donuts. His writing office was the furnace room of his trailer home. “CARRIE” was published in 1973, “THE SHINING” in 1977.  Paperback rights for CARRIE sold for $400,000 and the only thing he could think of to buy was a hair dryer for his wife!

THREE KEYS TO SUCCESS, according to U. S. International University Prof. Robert Epstein, are:

1. MODIFY YOUR  ENVIRONMENT. 2. MONITOR YOUR BEHAVIOR, 3. MAKE COMMITMENTS.

Today, choose one thing you’d like to change about yourself,  choose which one of the above would most help you make the change, and then use it.

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