HAPPY HOLIDAYS

HAPPY HOLIDAYS.

WISHING EVERYONE A WONDERFUL HOLIDAY SEASON AND A MAGICAL NEW YEAR.

PEACE & BLESSINGS,

JOE

P.S

I plan on being much more active in 2015.

2014 has been a rough one personally in every area.

 Looking forward to NEW BEGINNINGS.

365 +5 DAY

365+5 =370

370 Days is the number of days I have been back in Los Angeles.

Easy it has not been.

It has been one obstacle and challenge after another.

Still questioning if retuning was the right choice.

When I left and said goodbye to Los Angeles in 2009, I WAS DONE.

I really did not expect it to be as hard as it has been. I thought with living here for 23 years and creating whatever life that I had created would help make the transition easier upon my return.

THAT HAS NOT BEEN THE CASE.

My plan was to come back to Los Angeles and work.

WORK FOR MONEY
WORK FOR SELF AWARENESS
WORK FOR RECONCILLING ISSUES OF THE PAST
WORK FOR SELF PRESERVATION
WORK TO SURVIVE
WORK CREATIVELY
WORK

JUST WORK SIMPLY WORK.

Work has been so scarce and sporadic for me. I have managed to get by with much struggle.

I know there ia a LESSON in all of this.

I believe this struggle that I have been faced with and continue to be faced with is for me to realize that I need to TRUST AND BELIEVE that I am worthy of living the life of my dreams. Not just thinking it but REALLY B E L I E V I  N G IT.

I need to REFOCUS on what I want and work towards that GOAL. If I refocus my energies I believe that I will see PROGRESS.

I always deplete my energies by spending precious TIME PURSUING THE LIFE OF SURVIVAL which takes away form LIVING THE LIFE OF PASSION AND MY DREAMS.

I have wasted so much time and energy stuck in FEAR
FALSE EVIDENCE APPEARING REAL.

It sucks.

The time is now to live FEARLESSLY.

Trusting the next 365 +++++++++++++ DAYS MY ENERGIES WILL BE SPENT CREATING THE LIFE I WANT TO LIVE RATHER THAN THE LIFE I THINK I NEED TO LIVE.

REACH FOR THE STARS.

PEACE AND BLESSINGS

SURROUND YOURSELF WITH BEAUTY AND ENERGY THAT SUPPORTS YOU ON YOUR JOURNEY.         LIFE IS TO BE LIVED. ENJOY .

48 + 2 = 50 HOW?

48 + 2 + 50.

HOW THE HELL DID THIS HAPPEN????????????????????

Oh my god. TIME FLIES.

At times I feel like I just ventured out to discover and explore life on my own.

NOT......That was nearly 3 DECADES AGO.

My 30 year high school reunion is this summer. CRAZYYYYYYYYYY.

I am not going to attend as I am now living back in Los Angeles.

I do not understand how life can pass by so quickly.

I do have to say as challenging as my life has been while on this journey, I am grateful and thankful for it all.

What I have come to realize, is that it is a WORK IN PROGRESS.

KEY WORDS......WORK IN PROGRESS.

The choices that I have made while on this journey have not always been the right choices to live a comfortable easy life. BUT THEY WERE MY CHOICES.

I have also come to understand that we are in life EXACTLY where we are suppose to be at any given moment.

LIFE is about LESSONS.

Lessons are repeated until they are understood which allow us to move forward to the next LESSON.

Some of us are fast learners and others have to stumble.  I have been a stumbler. I am learning to be OK with where I am in life  and who I am.

Approaching 50 makes one REFLECT.

At the end of the day. LIFE IS GOOD.

I am learning to just be ok with being ok and sometimes being ok with not being ok.
Trusting that at the end of the day or at the end of a life EVERYTHING WORKS OUT.

ACCEPTANCE,BELIEVE, FAITH, HOPE,LOVE, SURRENDER & TRUST.

My wish for all of you is to be PRESENT & ENJOY the JOURNEY.

Even in the darkness we can still find LIGHT.

FRIENDS FOR LIFE

FRIENDS FOR LIFE.

APRIL ENDS-MAY BEGINS

April is drawing to a close.
The month has been filled with HIGHS & LOWS -UPS & DOWNS

Filled with Joy and Laughter while coming together with LIFE long friends in support of one another as we all battle our battles, and as we continue to GROW AND LIVE.

We are all just fighting to stay ALIVE.

We do what we can do, day to day to figure out what our PURPOSE on this planet is.
WE ALL HAVE A PURPOSE. Our job while here on EARTH is to figure it OUT.

I know for me it has been a long journey filled with BUMPS AND BRUISES, HEART ACHE AND TEARS & yes of course JOY & LOVE.

What I am realizing as I continue on my journey is yes my STORY is MY STORY.
Everyones pain is their PAIN.

At the end of the day I believe that all of us just want to know that we are LOVED. Not only loved but WORTHY of the love that we are receiving.

It is the human condition.

Also the experience of UTHENTIC LOVE is so effortless and given unconditionally.
Those of us who are fortunate to experience this type of love wheather through family,friend,lover,spouse or commuity is an AMAZING feeling.

This is the love that was shared while visiting two life long friends in Atlanta earlier this month.
Thank you Suzanne Morris Ferrera & Davelynn Fitzsimmons Redenour.

It was such a pleasure and an honor to reconnect with you ladies after such a long absence.
I love how we were able to pick up with each other like no time has passed. when in actuality over 25 years have gone by.

Spending the weekend with you ladies was a testament to the real meaning of FRIENDSHIP.
I thank you from the bottom of my heart for your support and unconditional love as I fumble my way through this thing called LIFE.

Through life we are going to be challenged. We will all be challenged with different things wheather it be HEALTH,FAITH,LOVE,FINANCES. Whatever the challenges that you are given in life, are not as overwhelming when we have a SUPPORT SYSTEM.
I wish all of you out there LOVE AND SUPPORT as you continue to embark on your journey called LIFE.
HERE IS TO LIVING LIFE FULL OUT. THE TIME IS NOW. JUST LIVE.

ART THERAPY

ART THERAPY.

Art soothes the soul.

Living a creative life is quite the challenge. Although I would have it no other way.

My life up to this point has been filled with many obstacles to overcome.

I can sit here today and say that I am grateful for every single bump in the road.

I sometimes think to myself, what would my life look like if I never left Troy New York.
Not saying anything is wrong with being from and growing up in Troy.

I just knew for me to continue on my journey I had to go on the road.

 That is what I did almost 28 YEARS AGO.

There have been many sacrifices that I have had to make in order to live my life they way I have been living.

Some people throughout the years have said to me WHAT ARE YOU RUNNING FROM?
A friend of mine when I was living back east at The Shore, he said to me I do not see you running from, I seeing you RUNNING TO.

Art has been a part of my life my whole life........I have always been interested in the arts and expressing myself creatively.

IT IS THE ONLY THING THAT KEEPS ME GOING.

I look at many people and the way they exist in the world and I say there is no way I could do that or would want to do that........My observation of many people is they are not really living. NOT FULLY. NOT TRULY, NOT REALLY.

So many people are STUCK......I say that because I was one of those people at one point.

My life has been over the past number of years all about learning and challenging myself to grow.

GROWING PAINS ARE NOT ALWAYS EASY.......BUT THEY ARE NECESSARY IN LIFE.

I am back in Los Angeles and getting ready to open my first SOLO ART SHOW THIS WEEK.
Very excited for the opportunity tto show my work and have people see the world through my eyes and  get a chance to see my process as I try to CREATE BEAUTY IN THE WORLD.

Thank you for coming on the journey. Often times we are on our JOURNEY ALONE. THAT IS OK.

I WISH ALL OF YOU THE JOURNEY OF YOUR DREAMS.
REMEMBER IN ORDER TO ACHIEVE THAT YOU FIRST HAVE TO HAVE A DREAM FOR YOUR LIFE.

Peace and Blessings.

Reading this month:  THE MAGIC by RHONDA BYRNE

SAVING SUE

SAVING SUE.

A CALL TO ACTION.

This past week has been an emotionally challenging one.

A hometown /high school girlfriend was just diagnosed with Stage 4 lung cancer which has moved to her lymph nodes as well.

I HATE CANCER. FUCK YOU CANCER.

In case you did not hear me, I said FUCK YOU CANCER.

Two wonderful woman jumped into action and have begun a fundraising campaign to fly our dear friend Suzanne Morris Ferrara to Atlanta for a intense 15 day treatment at The Living Food Institute Clinic.


The first three days of the campaign were AMAZING almost $9000 raised.
We are now up over $12000. Things have slowed down. We need to keep the moment going.
THERE IS AN URGENCY HERE. Please & Thank you.

MOVING MOUNTAINS.

A huge outpouring of LOVE & SUPPORT.

Everyone doing what they can to save our friend. Reaching out and pleading for donations.

I have reached out to all of my face book friends. A few have generously donated who have never met Sue. They have showed compassion towards a mother and her children.

Some have donated anonymously.

To you silent supports. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU.

I wish none of you out there ever need to call on your friends or even strangers to help save either yours or a family members life.

But if you do. I hope that people whether they know you and your family have compassion and reach out. REMEMBER THIS COULD BE YOUR MOTHER,SISTER,WIFE OR LOVED ONE.

WE ARE ALL CONNECTED.
PLEASE HELP & BE A PART OF SAVING THIS BEAUTIFUL WOMAN'S LIFE.

I want to thank the two amazing woman who have been the motivation behind saving Sue's life.
Maria Millington & Rosemarie Zack.

Thank you ladies.

As we are working to save Sue. AND WE ARE GOING TO AND WILL SAVE SUE.

Sue it is spring time where flowers bloom.......THESE ARE FOR YOU TO STAY POSITIVE AND BELIEVE. LOVE YOU MY FRIEND.

I say goodbye to an acquaintance from my time living at the Jersey Shore.
RIP Jackie.

LIFE IS FRAGILE AND FLEETING.

I say goodbye to an acquaintance from my time living at the Jersey Shore.

RIP Jackie.

Today I received the news of the passing of an amazing man. Los Angeles longest running homicide detective who I had the great pleasure of knowing and calling a friend.

RIP FRANK BOLAND. YOU WERE TRULY ONE OF A KIND AND A LEGEND.

Thank you my friend for your company and your wisdom over the years. It was an honor and a pleasure to know you. THIS BUDS FOR YOU. CHEERS.

STORMY WEATHER

STORMY WEATHER.

I sit here on the last day of February 2014. We are under STORM WATCH here in LA.

It is always so funny to me how the weather is reported here.

It has been raining for the past 24 hours on and off.

I  LOVE THE RAIN. I always have. As a child I would love to sit on my front porch to enjoy a good rain storm. Over the past two years I have had the good fortune to live two houses off the ocean.
I love a storm at the ocean.......Got to experience and live through both HURRICANE IRENE & SANDY.

I have weathered my fair share of storms. Both PERSONALLY AND WEATHER WISE.

Some storms have been more intense than others. I am sure in my life there will be more STORMS to be had.

I am learning to just enjoy the journey.......That includes the storms, Without them there is no growth.

We need to EMBRACE whatever we may be going through in life. WHY? Because we are exactly we we are suppose to be at any given moment.

MOTHER NATURE IS AMAZING.
IT IS FASCINATING TO WATCH MOTHER NATURE AT WORK.

Last night and most of the day today I have had the pleasure of working from home and using the rain as the SOUND TRACK for my day.

The sound of rain is very SOOTHING to me.

To me listening and being caught in the rain and feeling it on my body is a form of cleansing.
It has the power to wash away all of the ugliness and dirt of the world. After the rain everything seems a little BRIGHTER.

Los Angeles fr example has been in the middle of a long dry spell and experiencing a draught.

Without the rain this city and our lives build up TOXINS that can stop us dead in our tracks and can actually kill us physically, emotionally, spiritually and figuratively.

Without the rain we become malnourished. The RAIN BRINGS US THE NOURISHMENT WE NEED TO CONTINUE TO GROW IN TO THE BEST WE CAN BE.

Many of us walk through life MALNOURISHED and severely DEHYDRATED.

We need to learn to dance in the rain and understand that hardships are a part of what makes us into the wonderful human beings that we are, as we move along the HIGHWAY OF LIFE ON OUR JOURNEY.

Wishing everyone a journey full of growth and love.

REMEMBER THERE IS ALWAYS BEAUTY AFTER A STORM.

The reading this month was

Forgiveness - Iyanla Vanzant

Warrior of the Light -Paulo Coelho

DIS EASE

DIS   EASE

Another light dimmed this week do to his disease.

When I heard the news of the tragisc loss of Philip Seymour Hoffman. I was deeply saddened for his friends , family and for everyone  who are out there stuggling and suffering  EVERYDAY.

What my first thought was upon hearing the news, is here is a man SEEMINGLY at the top of his game who had pretty much gained the status of being able to write his own ticket.

A brilliant career and future ahead of him, one would think.  NOT THE CASE.

White, Black,Rich, Poor, Man ,Woman.

DIS  EASE  DOES NOT DISCRIMINATE.

We never know what BATTLES someone is fighting or DEMONS they are struggling with.

I was speaking with a friend last night and we were discussing the tragedy of it all.
She said, she did not think that only sad and depressed people become addicts.

I said that I totally agree with you, but by the time someone is battling a full fledged adiction, Happy and Carefree are taken out of the equation.

Becoming an addict depletes the person of the simple joys in life. Everything becomes a challenge.

We really need to be kind to one another. We have no idea what sort of private hell another person is living.

Life is challenging on the best of days.  WE NEED TO BE MORE COMPASSIONATE.

Putting this into practice one/we should start immediately and our first subject should be OURSELVES.

SELF LOVE, SELF ACCEPTANCE is really difficult for many.

It is a practice that one/we really should learn to master which would allow us to serve ourselves and the world better.

It seems like every six months to one year we are losing some high profile celebrity to the addiction of his/her DIS  EASE.

This month marks the 2 year anniversary of the loss of Whitney Houston.  
Daily the world loses countless beautiful people who get lost in some sort of ADDICTION. They wind up struggling. Some for a very short period of time and some for a lifetime. Eventually if they do not seek help the outcome winds up be the same........DEATH.

I persoanlly know of 5 people last year lost to their ADDICTIONS.

ALL VERY SCARY.

To all those lost to their DIS  EASE. May you finally be resting easy and at peace.

To everyone still struggling. I wish you all a successful road back to a drug/alcohol/sex/food/gambling/shopping or whatever other  DIS   EASE you may be suffering from FREE LIFE.

Remeber in life's darkest moments one can still find light......You just need to be will to look for it. WISHING LIGHT AND LOVE TO ALL.......MAY THE LIGHT SHINE BRIGHT.


R.I.P Philip Seymour Hofffman
Thank you for sharing your gifts with all of us. May you be bathed in light as you have embarked on a new journey.

SEARCHING FOR THE ANSWERS

SEARCHING SEARCHING SEARCHING.

I am an avid reader always in search of ways for me to continue to live freely and joyfully.

Let me tell you the journey is WORTH IT.  Although there are moments where I wish I were able to live in the confines of THE BOX.

I JUST CAN'T. NOR DO I WANT TO.

Trust me, I wish I could. Life would be so different if I could.

This year I set a goal of reading at least two books a month.

The book that I am currently reading is called The Energy of Money.

ENERGY OF MONEY.

Money for some comes effortlessly and for others with many obstacles and not very easily.

WHY????????????????

I am one of those where I always manage to just get by with much struggle.
It has never flowed easily.

2014 I am going to find out the reason and CHANGE IT.

I need to get my financial house in order as well as every other area of my life.

I am tired of the STRUGGLE.

It has been a rocky few weeks since the new year has begun.

I have had much anxiety and have been allowing FEAR to occupy my mind.

I have been questioning my decision about being back here in Los Angeles and not sure that I am up to the challenge of what one needs to go through in Los Angeles to just get by.

If I am going to reamain here, I need to change my way of thinking and stop buying into the story that it has to be all about struggle and lack.

I know that I am a SURVIVOR.

I have what it takes to CREATE THE LIFE I WANT TO LIVE. I NEED TO JUST BELIEVE IN MY ABILITIES.

My mom always says we are given in life nothing more than we can handle. I NEED TO TRUST THAT.

I wish each and everyone of you who is out there searching and questioning to CONTINUE.
Know that as difficult and hopeless as it may seem at times. IT IS WORK THE WORK AND EFFORT.

TRUST THAT THE LIGHT WILL ALWAYS LEAD YOU.

So the two books that I have read this month are as follows.

1. What would you do if you could not fail? How to transform Fear into Courage
Nina Lesowitz & Mary Beth Sammons
2. The Energy of Money  A spiritual guide to financial and personal fulfiillment.
Maria Nemeth.

BACK TO ONE

January 1, 2014

HAPPY NEW YEAR.

Today is a new beginning, allowing us to go BACK TO ONE and a chance to start over.
An opportunity to create the life that we want to live rather than the life we have been living.

We get to determine how we are going to tell our story.

Everyone has different ways of preparing for the new year.

My roommate for example spent the whole day cleaning and purging. Very important to make room for what we are seeking. The only way to really do that, is to let go of things and people that are holding us back and not allowing us to live our dreams by their negativity or non-support.

Others like to party the old year out and the new year in.

At different times in my life I have done both.

The way that I like to prepare for the new year is to be by myself and reflect on the year ending and set my intentions for the new year.
Usually I like to be near the water(ocean) I do this hoping I have the courage, determination, discipline, focus and strength to follow through on what ever I decide I need to do to make the new year different than the year that is ending.

It all comes down to making the RIGHT CHOICES, STAYING FOCUSED AND NOT GETTING SIDETRACKED.

Life comes with hurdles and obstacles. That is just the way life works.

I know for me personally the beginning of a new year is so exciting and filled with promise of there really being the opportunity to CREATE THE LIFE I REALLY WANT.

At the same time self-doubt creeps in and I wonder, will the new year be any DIFFERENT, BETTER, EASIER or is it going to be the same struggle of years past.

My friend who I went hiking with wished me a peaceful night and a gentle transitioin into the new year.  I thought what a beautiful way to enter the new year.

My attempt at this was somewhat succcessful. I jumped into bed at 9PM to read. I was fast asleep before entering the new year. I woke up a little less than excited as I got in my HEAD. AVERY DANGEROUS PLACE TO LIVE. Because I got into my head I was dealing with a bit of anxiety and some dread as I pushed though the day.

I am feeling better now as I make this entry.
 I hope that each and everyone of you is able to CREATE the WONDERFUL life that you all DESIRE.

Some of you may be asking yourself if this is possible.

I am telling you that YES IT IS. Why? BECAUSE YOU ARE WORTHY.

LEARN TO LOVE YOURSELF AND TRUST THAT YOU ARE WORTHY OF WHATEVER RICHES YOU DESIRE

PEACE AND BLESSING FOR AN AWE INSPIRING 2014

BELIEVE, FAITH, HOPE, TRUST.