Etsy Women’s Day is March 8th!

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International Women’s Day is March 8! Join me in celebrating women entrepreneurs around the world. #etsyfearlesswomen https://etsy.me/2tNiKbt

RDP Friday: Security

Ya know, I tend to log in just when the day’s prompt happens to be perfect for me. Maybe it’s the universe nudging me to write? Who knows. I think the universe has a way of guiding us to what we need if we are truthful with ourselves. At least it’s that way for me. The universe has always brought what I want/need to me when I allow myself to accept it. So…today’s word is security: something I know a lot about, being an artist. It’s no secret that being an artist is not a very financially secure life. I think we all tend to feel it at some point or another, and how we deal with it is important. That’s actually part of the reason that I’m a part of the RDP community. I found recently that I needed to open myself up to the universe more, to find new pathways of security financially, so I’m feeling out what is right for me in this moment. Since I’ve opened up myself to the idea of e-commerce (on top of my regular job), I’ve been learning a lot about the world of the internet. I’m not sure if it will pan out financially, but even if not, I feel that the universe is leading me to the thing that will (and maybe this will be it, who knows, I’m just trying). I feel like I’m a step ahead of where I was beforehand simply because I’m learning and I’m not in the same place I was before. I’m on a journey. I like that. I like knowing that I’m taking strides. I’m not stagnant. I’m not stuck. I’m growing. I’m learning to let go of some negative ego assumptions. I’m learning to be more capable in ways I didn’t think about before. I’m learning that there’s many skills out there that I need to master to make it as an artist that have nothing to do with singing/acting, but they are creative. Security would be nice! On the other hand, as I said before, being an artist is very often an insecure financial life. I was told growing up that I should have a fallback career. I balked at that idea because I knew that by doing that I’d be telling the universe that that was more important than being successful in my dreams. I still think that. I’ve modified that thinking, though. I realize now that there’s no reason I can’t do both. I now put into the universe that I’d like financial security and artistic security. I now put equal energy into both. I find that the older I get I realize that I can have my artistic dreams if I find a way to financially support those dreams, too…I used to think that doing something to make money other than singing/acting was selling out, but now I realize that it’s a necessity (at this time of my life) that I do both. I think this period of learning and growing will benefit me in my career as a performer, I just have to see the silver lining…and maybe the silver lining will benefit my artistic career, too. Any artists out there feel the same way? What have you done to figure it out? I’m curious, and wish you all success!

RDP Friday: Baggage

Never was there a more perfect writing prompt for my day today. I know that on here many bloggers write stories, poems, narratives, etc., and they’re beautiful…but for me, personally, I feel much more at ease writing streams of consciousness blog entries. Maybe someday I’ll branch out into fictional stories; I used to love that! But…enough about that! Let’s get on to why the word baggage is perfect for today!

I’m traveling today. I’ve literally got baggage. I’m off on a fun adventure to Washington, D.C.! I’m on the bus, brainstorming about this entry, but trying not to brainstorm too much because it’s my mini vacation! Now, for those of you who don’t know, the trip from NYC to D.C. is not a long one. It’s about 4-5 hours by bus, and I do the trip rather frequently. I go to visit my boyfriend who currently lives there (but hopefully someday soon he will be back in NYC, which is where we first met). I haven’t seen him in a while. I’m ecstatic to jump into his arms and kiss him! He’s unique, funny, intelligent, and I love him madly! When I’m with him, I don’t feel so much “baggage” in the figurative sense of the word (but clearly I’ve got it….literally…when I’m with him, haha). When we’re together, both of our lives run smoother, are more free, and we’re always laughing. 🙂 When we’re apart, sometimes those things don’t come as easily. Although this is true, in a strange way I feel that this experience makes us stronger as individuals and as a couple. You truly find out what your heart is made of when you decide to live so far apart. It will only work if you find the person who helps you work through your past baggage and stays by your side emotionally, because you don’t have the ease of dashing to their apartment on a whim. It will also only work if you choose someone who is clear and good with their communication. Communication is key in any relationship, but especially in a long distance one. Talking about previous baggage and getting it off your chest and then seeing that person wholly support you and remain by your side, help you work through it and not run away: now THAT’s a keeper, no matter how close or far apart you live. 🙂

Good Quote

Snowy NYC Day!

I know that to some this looks miserable, but I’m loving it! The snow is fluffy, plentiful, clean, and crisp as it comes down! For the first time in years the peacefulness and beauty of the snow reminds me of home. 🙂 It very rarely holds a candle to the fluffy, clean beauty of the snow out West!

What Kind Of Dog Is Right For You?

I’ve been a dog lover since the age of eight years old, and I certainly have my own thoughts on which kinds of dogs I prefer…in the end I love them all, but I do prefer the larger breeds. Now…if I had it my way I’d have my own sanctuary or something of the kind that would benefit all dogs that are having trouble being adopted or who have been abandoned. Who knows, this may happen in the future. It saddens me to no end to think of any animal being put down unnecessarily and alone in the world. They all deserve to be loved in return, and they are the best at loving. Now, to my next point: how can we give our dogs the best life possible? Here are some of my tips as a dog walker in NYC…have fun reading!

Make sure that your apartment or home (especially if you live in a cramped city like NYC) is a suitable space for a pet. A lot of NYC spaces are very small and truly only suit one being comfortably. Although it may work great for you, that doesn’t mean it will be ideal for your pet. Bigger dogs need room to exercise and romp around during the day when you’re not there. Think about it: your dog will be staying indoors at your home for the entirety of the time you’re working, out with friends, etc. That is probably very monotonous and could lead to depression in dogs. When they’re depressed they often become unruly and develop bad behaviors because they’re not happy, just like humans! So…make sure that you have a big enough space depending on the size of the dog you’re interested in. This leads me to my second point.
Socialization. Although NYC is not a very large dog friendly kind of place, there are ways of providing a great life for your lovebug if you’ve got the funds to do it. All of my family pets have had the opportunities to live in places in the foothills, free to roam on our land, and plenty of open space to play with and explore. Our Rhodesian Ridgeback had a best friend who lived in the same neighborhood! The two of them would play and romp together for hours on end. They were inseparable! Two big doggos wrestled and played all day and came in pooped in the evening several days per week, at least. My mother worked long hours daily, so she would drop our dog off at his friends’ house or vice versa so that he would get exercise and be social. He was such a happy dog because the owners made it a great time for the two puppers! Now, what NYC’ers can do is this: investigate doggy daycare ideas. There are so many of them in the city and they are in very high demand. I recommend finding one that will take the dogs to the park sometimes, and that will supervise them responsibly throughout the whole time. This playtime and interaction can help to mitigate the difficulty of living in the city with a dog, as they will feel loved while you are out making a living and cuddling at home with them in the evening! Another service you can look into is dog walking. Wag and Rover are two of the most popular dog walking services, they’re great, and signing up is very easy. You can even search for dog walkers on the site for Rover and choose one based on their price and profile! I highly recommend this option as well. Just be sure that you meet your dog walker first to make sure that this is the right person for you and your dog! Plus…depending on the walker your dog may get more exercise and love than with another walker, so meet and greets are very important. Although, given a choice between the two, I’d look into doggy daycare at least several days per week first.
Make sure you look into the different breeds before deciding. Some dogs’ typical habits make apartment life more difficult or less than other breeds. Their energy levels can vary as well. Some bark more than others, too. Our Rhodesian hardly ever barked!
On a more personal note, I want to see every doggy and kitty get adopted out there, so the first place that I, personally, would go would be the shelters. No matter the breed, you might just find your best friend there. Many shelter dogs are the biggest lovers I’ve ever walked/met and I’ve walked a good amount of dogs. With the right training and care they can become the best behaved loveys. Yes, I also call them all my loveys. 🙂 It’s almost like they know they’ve been rescued…or is it them that are rescuing us?

As always, please be careful when selecting your pet. There are always possible dangers, so please be careful with pets and kids, etc. Also…have fun!