In Search of Food for the Soul: JUMPING IN

In Search of Food for the Soul: JUMPING IN: JUMPING IN We have just closed out the first month of 2015. I made a promise to myself that 2015 was going to be a better year. So far...

JUMPING IN

JUMPING IN

We have just closed out the first month of 2015.

I made a promise to myself that 2015 was going to be a better year.

So far that promise is being realized.

I decided to GET OUT OF MY WAY & STOP BLOCKING MY BLESSINGS.

We live in an ABUNDANT UNIVERSE.  If we are not open and available for the abundance and blessings they will just flow to others.

THERE IS ENOUGH FOR EVERYONE. WE JUST NEED TO TRUST AND BELIEVE.

For most of my life, I have fought and went against the current and the NATURAL FLOW OF LIFE.

I would jump in and fight the current. I always felt, like I was swimming upstream on a dry lake bed. I would than wonder why I was tired, frustrated and facing one obstacle after the next.

I think that I am finally understanding that once WE STOP FIGHTING, things begin to come into our lives and we begin to MANIFEST what we NEED, HOPE AND DESIRE for our LIVES.

This only begins to happen by jumping into and GOING with the FLOW OF LIFE.

I wish everyone the COURAGE to just say YES TO LIFE.

We create so much unnecessary struggle in our lives.

JUMP IN AND GO WITH THE FLOW OF LIFE. IT IS THE ONLY WAY TO GO AND THE NATURAL WAY TO GO.......MOVE WITH THE DIRECTION OF THE WATER.

ALWAYS WALK AND BY GUIDED BY THE LIGHT IN  YOUR HEART.

READY, SET, GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO. 1/1/15

READY, SET, GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO. 1/1/15

And we are off.

January 1, 2015

A BRAND NEW YEAR.

The slate has been wiped clean, an empty canvas, a black page.

These are all very exciting things to be placed in front of an artist.

This is a GREAT THING.

WHY? YOU ASK.

A new beginning is always exciting. We get to decide as the artists,authors and designers of our lives what we want to CREATE. What type of STORY we want to TELL.

This will all happen by the CHOICES that we make.

2014 is over. THANKFULLY.

I am grateful for all of the lessons and hardships that were a part of 2014.....THERE WERE MANY.

I was EMPTY & DEFEATED in 2014. Feeling LOST and without direction and at times very HOPELESS.
I slipped into complete and utter darkness watching myself slipping away day by day.

It was SCARY. I was losing myself.

Today I am feeling very HOPEFUL & EXCITED about what this new year will bring.

I do know that alot of what the new year will bring, will have to do with what I BRING into the new year.

I am choosing to bring BELIEF,FAITH,HOPE,LOVE,TRUST
(especially SELF LOVE & SELF CARE) with me into 2015 which will allow me to Design,Create,Write,Direct and Produce a BEAUTIFUL LIFE FOR MYSELF & TO LIVE THE LIFE I WANT TO LIVE.

I wish each and everyone of you the same wish to DESIGN THE LIFE OF YOUR DREAMS AND THE LIFE THAT YOU ARE SO WORTH LIVING.

HAPPY NEW YEAR.  MAY 2015 MANIFEST ALL OF YOUR DREAMS.

FIND YOU LIGHT. WALK IN THE LIGHT AND BE SURE TO SHINE YOUR LIGHT.

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