mermaidcamp

Keeping current in wellness, in and out of the water

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World of Creation

November 18, 2012

Mollie’s prayer shawl

I was in temple yesterday much longer than I might have liked. This time, however, Rabbi Frank rocked the universe with his profound statements about Shabbat. The need to rest and restore is a universal requirement for anyone who wants to attain a spiritually inspired life. The Jewish practice of turning away from the worldly work and habits for 24 hours a week is a basic way to tune in to divine guidance regularly. If this is never done, people become convinced that they are completely at cause for everything that happens, and must work harder to control outcomes. Nothing could be more delusional.

The phrases he used were poetic and charged with symbolism. This is the kind of wording that sticks in the mind of listeners. I paraphrase his message here: For 6 days we live in the world of time, one day we step out of time and live in space. For 6 days we deal with all the creations of the world. For one day we deal with the world of creation. For me, this was a stellar explanation of the need to reverse the flow of that everyday grind to find inner guidance. If you think of God the creator in heaven, or believe you are a creative part of the universe, always guided by eternal grace, the concept is still powerful. Be still and know. Go Rabbi Frank.

Synesthesia

September 6, 2012

The merging of the senses is a process and a practice. To create an artist or inventor can call on all the senses and blend the associations into new meaning. You may be synesthetic in certain parts of you life, such as personal fashion or cuisine. I make an attempt to both try new experiences and blend all the sensory information into art. My artistic sense was inspired long ago by my design teacher, Max Gottschalk, who began the semester with a lecture about designing your life. I also hung out with Max later in his life and had the pleasure of doing some major synesthesia with him when he was 92 and pretty far out there. At that time he used to refer to “sonic water” when we were in the water. I questioned him thoroughly about this sonic water, but he provided little detail. I still wonder about that.

I went to Las Vegas to tour Zappos headquarters recently. My goals were entirely fulfilled on the tour. In order to get there I flew to Vegas, stayed at a big casino hotel, and coincidentally went to a fashion show. I flew home after a little more than 24 hours, but the tightly scheduled events, including the Mormons on the plane ride back, have all become one big circus in my mind. Without intending to do so, I created the circumstances that are perfect for synesthetic problem solving. I left with a design in my head for a very important event I had been planning for ages. The juxtaposition of over the top Bellagio surroundings, Zappo’s over the top customer service, and clothing designer Joey Galon’s over the top evening gowns have all merged in my creative process to outline the best little mermaid bat mitzvah after party ever attempted.

I am on a mission to create for my 13 year old friend Mollie a party that expresses her own creativity and that of a few of her close friends. With the date is closing in, and I had no real plan to pull this whole idea into shape. I have given her a sewing machine, a 20 minute sewing lesson, and some prom dresses. Thanks to the various senses that merged the Las Vegas experience for me, we now know what we are going to do!!! Mollie will assemble the girls and fit them into the dresses they like best. She will cut off the bottom of the dress and we will retrofit them all to be mermaid dresses. Some individual craft work on the bottom of each dress will make each an individual and unique piece of art. I always like to put lessons inside a fun project because that inspires me. I believe I can deliver sewing and fashion design lessons from the upcycle perspective to some unsuspecting young ladies.