More on New Challenge / Community *PICKS* for Artists

Deleted Background Info (Back story)

I must admit that this challenge was unexpected. Most people in my own personal life never knew full-time professional Meka- talking comfortably about all sorts of business- in nearly every corner of the country- from guest speaking for organizations and such, making a presentation or few that some might consider just a smidgen important, conducting training, holding classes, meetings with other companies about my company-- oh gosh you name it O_O I never sought to do any of these things, but ended up doing them as part of my job(s) where I gladly discussed what I had written for another entity. Funny thing is I'm still not 100% sure why the stark contrast between that me and the me who barely made it through the last video challenge (hey an ugly win is still a win lol)?

Basic Challenge Details

Even with some Challenges under my belt, it is always a good time to review the basics! That means questioning everything- including why I'm doing this and whether this challenge places me in a better position to meet my goals or if it is just good fodder for the blogosphere or fuel for procrastination. "Why the stark contrast between me and the last time I checked myself on the "Challenge to Act Out"?" Seems like a good fair question initially. Am I a different person or did all that happened on top of all I allowed to happen in the end- finally reshape me into someone less capable? Was it because all of a sudden, I'm reading my own personal thoughts and writings about me now? Woooah, right?!

How about this: Is that a fair comparison? Am I trying to be what I was before or just build on what I know worked? Which of these are important enough to be a show-stopper or a deal breaker? Does this challenge point me into the direction of my goals of any term? If not, what will point me there? That's why this time, I will give myself two weeks instead of one. What can I do moving forward to make a few more precautions to ensure that my boundaries cannot be so easily or suddenly moved to a place no longer recognizable, without living a life rooted in fear. This is life-- not politics. Oh, I hate to be wrong as much as anyone else, but in respect for my human attributes, I'd rather to be wrong beforehand :) See, I have no aversion to fixing what doesn't work. It's supposed to work- one could hope.
. If only time were infinite, I would dwell there forever and here with you, but I must go. Talk to ya soon!

Community New Artist *PICKS*

Deleted Un-edited Back-story 

As for me, I will be here when the story comes; here's what I know: Listening to, admiring, and creating new art is a most enjoyable escape. I really hoped for the magic of the first post, but like drugs... you've heard the story. Afterward, when I asked the right questions, I found that I did not seek the music, but that it had sought me after I had learned to make myself available to it. It's just like the pattern across the rest of life. Once you give yourself (or others) the tools and information, it's then available to be recalled at the right now. Of myself, I learned that my own creative limitations at the moment (although limits tend to vanish quickly once identified, don't they?). include that I can only write creative works for myself-- On-Demand-- whether or not I have a story for it, seems subject to what I am not moved to write about. Who knows if I will ever be moved to do write again about music this way. Luckily, I have found several outlets that can, and I'm just as ok with that. See, it was never really about the thing. And that applies also to the reality of writing this way for now. When I sit down, I don't usually know what I will write-- only an idea of how I feel, and if I'm so lucky-- the message I'd like to convey. It seems to create itself because I don't quite understand it, a quest for such knowledge feels futile now. I have been practicing getting better at this by participating in mini-challenges using the Prompts, and sometimes it works faster than others I select, but not a minute before the story comes, so I am here waiting. I wonder if you feel that way or if it makes any sense. That's the best I can describe it.

More on Interact Question from 7-28-13

1. Question:

How do you feel about getting involved in controversial issues. Are you afraid of that? Do you feel it dilutes your message? Powerless to do anything about it? Let me know? 

What are you working on?

"I just wrote this Poem 12 called "Look" ...I've written before about how and why I don't watch news. It feels reactive. But the last thing I saw on a news page was literally a story where a little boy shot a random infant in the face. I thought to myself how I cannot imagine that happening, and I know it doesn't because I had never heard of it before, but I felt so repulsed by it that I would rather not judge the world based on what I saw on the news that day. What you feed self will be what comes out, so then the challenge became: if I will ingest this, I will ingest as much positive, but I never got back around to the negative stuff :)" - from Interact with me 9pm, 7/28/13

Pt 1. Like everyone else, I choose my battles- asking the same questions I guess y'all ask: Will this matter tomorrow or the year after, etc? And I just go from there. For example, on the one I just wrote: Poem 12: Look, Say Something. I don't generally get mired in debate because many are no longer debatable, what's the point of that. Make a decision, and move along. On this issue, I believe that we should all be offended. Thankfully, we are not where we were, but with an estimated 600 women a day being violently assaulted and 1 and 3 murdered daily by intimate partner, we still have a long way to go before pack-patting. Am I afraid? I would be more of not saying anything; please have my "message" in exchange- deal. 

Iyanla Vanzant ‏@IyanlaVanzant7h

Letting go doesn't mean ignoring a situation. Letting go means accepting what is, without fear, resistance, or a struggle for control.

Powerless? No way because I believe that any small thing counts. Every interaction between humans count. A family raising great children is a part-- imagine the generations affected- Lord willing. Being kind to a woman and supporting her after an assault and helping to care for her emotionally until she can better care for herself is a part. It helps her-- her children; what if she pays it forward to someone else. If the price is interrupting a chorus of sunshine just to say-- hey I love boot-strap talkin' as much as the next person, but you over there trying to survive this. I see you; you are not invisible. You didn't do anything wrong, and and from you are not what I turn my face.

What are your answers?

More on Rose that Grew from Concrete and rosa do povo: An Ugly Win is a Win

I wrote and live edited a post featuring The Rose that Grew from Concrete Poem and rosa do povo on Love Mekanism Project. The second related article was Nerd Words: et Tu, Rose?

My hands interpreted as my mind recalled Tupac's poem but not more so than the interview when he discussed story. The imagery in my head was striking to me because, those days he had seen his share of troubles, but his face beamed as if he had none while his words took him to this art- The Rose... In a calm but passionate tone, he described its battered condition in words and gestures while smiling because he could see what others could not. While their eyes were fixed on the cleanliness (purity) of this rose, his were fixed on the wonder of its perseverance.

In a culture that places such a high value on impossible standards of perfection, beauty, and at times-rigid idealism, it is up to the individual to remember that while the goals, tasks, and objectives may change, the vision does not, and it's not always pretty. But the beauty is not always how you look when you come out, but that you do came out. In retrospect, that was one of those moments- even as a young teen, when I knew that what I heard was special and would one day show up when I needed it most.

I also looked for artwork to to decorate it for you-- one that reflects this emotion, I just could not. But I did find many stunning, beautiful works- some more creative than I could have dreamt. They were mostly too perfect for my mind's interpretation- already tainted for too many years with Tupac's haunting description, but I want to share this quick video I managed to find of it re-aired so your mind might draw your own rose. Enjoy! -lovemeka

If you like this post, "Like" or G+ it here then head over to Love Mekanism Project at lovemekanism.org and read these rose metaphor inspired articles. Thank you for reading. #lovemeka