December 10, 2003
Hope you are all doing well this Wednesday! I'd like to start off by saying HAPPY BIRTHDAY to my wonderful aunt, Bobby (aka Barbara Hintze Miller)!!! Many of you know her from her wide-spread involvement in Artella...she may have helped you in a jam as our master Tech Assistant, or confirmed your new Artella subscription. She's also the resident Artella proofreader and helped test hundreds of Web pages and shopping cart functions for the brand new Shoppes of Artella (more on that in a moment). At any rate, she is a wonderful behind-the-scenes person who helps make Artella run smoothly. Happy Birthday!
With Bobby's help, I've been spending the past several weeks getting ready for the opening of The Shoppes of Artella, and that day is finally here! I have to say, spending many high-density hours working with computer code is a puzzling experience. Anyone who has worked with computers or computer languages knows that code is completely logical – sometimes annoying so. This puts a very distinct flavor on any problems that arise; you KNOW there has to be an answer. If you don't get the result you want, it's because there's something amiss in the code. You just have to keep looking for it.
This brought home to me the importance of not giving up, in the more global sense of our every day lives. When things go wrong, or challenges face us, we just have to keep looking for the answer to "fix the code", in the best way we know how.
This line of thinking led to this week's Articulation, Grounded. (The art form represented is called haiga, which is a combination of photography and haiku. I learned about this form from Allen McGill, whose haiga appeared in e-Artella #e-4 and will also appear in Artella 5 later this month.)
To view Grounded, click here!
If the above link doesn't work, simply cut and paste this URL in your browser:http://www.artellawordsandart.com/artic54.html
Artella News!
1. The Shoppes of Artella are open for business! Enhance and spice up your holiday gift-giving with authentic, one-of-a-kind items that you can't find anywhere else! Visit the BRAND NEW Shoppes of Artella to buy totally unique handmade gifts that celebrate the passionate spirit of the artisan!
We make shopping FUN. As you browse through the shoppes, you get to read all about the artists behind the products, learning a bit about their lives and artistry. With over 200 items (and counting...more are being added every day), you're sure to find that special one-of-a-kind gift! Support the work of our artisans and give your loved ones an extra-special, original treasure they won't find anywhere else. (And don't forget to put yourself on your holiday gift list, too...I bet you'll find some enchanting item that tickles your fancy!)
To visit the shoppes, just go to Artella's main home page, www.ArtellaWordsAndArt.com, and click the Santa icon on the right side of the page! Happy shopping!
2. Special Subscriber Discounts! Until December 31, 2003, all subscribers receive $5 off any total purchase of $20 or more; $10 off any purchase of $50 or more; and an abundant $20 off any purchase of $100 or more. If you are a current subscriber, you should have already received information about how to claim your discount (let me know if you haven't). If you've been undecided about subscribing, now is the perfect time to do it so you can claim this subscribers-only discount for yourself! And remember – an Artella subscription makes the perfect gift for your favorite creative loved ones! Click here to subscribe!
3. Get me outta the snow! Well, we were snowed in since Friday, so if you've been expecting a copy of Artella 4, it only got to the post office today. So sorry about that, but this is one of those "acts of God" beyond my control, as they so curiously say in those legal documents. But now it's on its way!
4. Winter Magic! Though the snow has been slightly inconvenient, it certainly has gotten me in the right mood for laying out Artella 5, Winter Magic & Muse. It's due to be mailed out immediately after Christmas, so that you'll receive it by the end of the year. Make sure to order today to reserve your copy(ies) of this limited print run! Order individual issues of Artella, here!
ARTFUL LINKS!
For today's Artful Links, I'm sharing a few suggestions for ways to get in the spirit of the season, in case you'd like to explore any of them.
1. Last week, my friend Melissa Daimler shared a very powerful winter meditation with my writer's group. It was from a book called The Winter Solstice: The Sacred Traditions of Christmas by Celtic and Arthurian folklorist John Matthews. The lengthy meditation invoked a symbolic walk through a winter forest as a way to become connected with the peacefulness of the season and the year that is coming to a close. I have not read the rest of the book, but Melissa says that it is full of stories and exercises that engage modern rituals associated with this season. It sounds like the perfect thing to combat commercialism or general low spirits.
2. Nothing gets me more in the holiday spirit than experiencing true gratitude for the people, experiences, events, capabilities, comforts, and feelings that are in my life. Try taking some time for gratitude every day, in the days that come, and remember that there's no greater gift you can give to anyone than the gift of expressing your gratitude. If you'd like a companion to guide you in your efforts, consider my Accounting Your Blessings e-course, that turns gratitude into a fun game. At just $12.00 for 30 days, it's an easy way to make this holiday season really special.
3. I have experienced a lot of joy from The Christmas Radio Network, which streams commercial-free Holiday music, stories, legends, and traditions 24 hours a day. I spend a lot of time working at my computer, and listening to this inspiring, upbeat programming makes everything feel like a joyful task. All I know is that I end up smiling most of the time while I'm sitting here, and that's a good feeling.If you love Holiday music, you will be astonished at the variety from 50+ years of music that is featured
One thing I'll mention is that if you visit the site and play the audio and it says "Stopped", it means that the capacity is full, so be sure to try again later (I find that after 5pm I can always get on). A man named Glen Martin runs this entire operation from his home, and the capacity of his system and other relays are limited. He depends on volunteers to be "relays" to support more listeners. In fact, if you have a high-speed or broadband connection, being a relay is a super-easy good deed...nothing is required except a quick download. Computer performance is not affected at all. Read about it on the site...and be sure to listen in!
4. Consider shopping at The Shoppes of Artella (see above) for your holiday giving. With each purchase of handmade tangible wonder, you will be supporting the talented artists in the Artella community. Now that’s something to feel great about this Holiday Season!
Wishing you deep roots, warm and strong.
~close to the ground,
Marney
Artella Editor
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