Politics and Other Scary Stuff....plus a new Crafty Throwdown Challenge

O.K.  I simply CANNOT help myself.  I gotta talk. I have been trying to will myself to silence.   I have tidied the house, organized the studio, walked around the garden and played with my dogs...the standard "Go To" activities when I need to Find My Center.  It didn't work...I still have the anxiety sitting in my gut like a bowling ball.  The kind of anxiety that comes from watching the world burn around me while everyone else seems focused on inanity like the Oscars or Lindsay Lohan.  The kind of anxiety that generally acts as a precursor to an intense political spew.   

 It is going to burst out any second now, so if you are going to be offended, please scroll quickly to the bottom of the post where I will be announcing the details  of our next Craft Challenge.

Alrighty then---you have been properly warned.  I am not your average Crazy Right Wing Zealot.  I couldn't care less who you love or what you smoke. I am Jewish.  I have a pierced nose and chickens running around my yard.  I am an artsy gal who is happiest listening to my IPod while working in the studio.  I make a concerted effort NOT to talk about current events in this blog because I don't want to offend anyone.  Ever.  I lost a reader the last time I talked politics and it made me feel awful.   Truth is, though, I feel worse when I coast along as if I am not seeing what I am seeing.  

Consider the sad and pathetic decline of the talented Charlie Sheen.  I used to be an occasional watcher of Two and 1/2 Men.  I thought it was entertaining, if somewhat on the edge. Sheen plays Charlie Harper, a morally bankrupt playboy. The show became less amusing to me as Sheen's descent into addiction and mental illness started to come to light.  It felt kind of gross to giggle at a fractured human playing a fractured human, so I just kind of lost my taste for the show. 

Charlie is clearly bent on self destruction and the media is all over it.  We all know that this is going to end badly (remember Anna Nicole Smith?) yet the cameras are hell bent on capturing every pathetic morsel for our viewing pleasure.    I cannot turn on the television without seeing yet another tragic videotape of a wild eyed Sheen telling the world that he has "Adonis DNA" and that his two porn star live in girlfriends are "Goddesses."  Police finally removed his toddler sons from his care---about damn time.  Of course, the toddlers' Baby Mama, Brooke Mueller, is on her own Drug Rehab Merri-Go-Round.  What a world! Yup, we are getting minute by minute updates on the esteemed Mr. Sheen, but how much have you heard about a hero named Shahbaz Bhatti?  

  

You probably won't hear much about the recently murdered Shahbaz Bhatti and that is truly a shame.  Mr Bhatti was well known in Pakistan,  home to 180 million people, all but 5% of whom are Muslim.  Bhatti was a Roman Catholic--and the only Christian member of Pakistan's Federal Cabinet.  He was a high profile opponent of the nation's "blasphemy laws," which impose the death penalty on those found to have insulted Islam.  Not surprisingly, Bhatti's views were unpopular with Muslim extremists and he was recently shot down in a spray of bullets.   Al-Queda and the Taliban have claimed responsibility for his murder.

Bhatti knew that his life was in jeopardy and recorded a videotaped message to be released in the event of his death.   A somber but determined Bhatti noted that he was willing to die for his principles, while seeking justice for his community, rather than to compromise his values.

The video is powerful stuff.  Bhatti's strength of purpose humbles me.   He was a hero--a freedom fighter---and his story is one that should be heard. Is your media source of choice covering it?  No?  I am not surprised.  This nation is being fed pablum by a media intent on keeping us distracted. 

Charlie Sheen, anyone?  

Do the Media Gods think that we are not interested in the truth?  Do they think we cannot handle the truth?  The truth is not partisan and it has no agenda---we just have to be awake enough to start looking for it.  I have never understood those who hide from reality.  I may not like it, but if I know what it is I can develop a plan to deal with it.   I used to work for a serial philanderer.  He didn't even bother to make up good excuses for not going home.  I remember asking him about it...I was young and incredulous...and I will never forget his words.

He laughed--honest to God, he laughed--and he looked me in the eyes and told me that his wife did not want to know.  He said it was easy ... "Who are you gonna believe, Honey?  Your lying eyes or your loving husband?"

She believed her loving, cheating SOB of a husband every single time until he finally left her for his flavor of the moment.  Weird, huh?  Yet, here we are...yucking it up over Charlie Sheen in all of his ridiculousness.

Chaos in the Middle East.  A National Debt that will lead us to ruin.  A country that seems to be rewarding the Takers and punishing the Doers. Yup, the world really does seem to be burning around me.  What does it look like from where you are sitting?

Whew.  Sorry 'bout that.  I probably shouldn't say this stuff out loud but I can't always get to the Edit Button before I spew.   We seem to have lost our way as a nation and that just sucks.  I am tired of the Charlie Sheens and am looking for more Shahbaz Bhattis.  We have to take a stand for what is right---regardless of the politics. 

Hey!  My stomach doesn't hurt anymore...thanks for listening.

IN OTHER NEWS...........

The FIBER EARRING CHALLENGE is now closed. We got some FANTASTIC entries and the photographs will be sent out for judging this week.  Winners will be announced the week of March 14.  Good luck, everyone!

THE NEXT CHALLENGE:

 In an effort to get my own little world feeling warm and fuzzy, I would like to announce our next craft challenge, but this one has a twist!   I will still send out the supplies for free, and you will still get to make whatever you want with the goodies pictured above.  

The Twist?

I have set up a new Etsy Shop under the name CRAFT WARRIOR.  It will be officially "live" in the next week or so.  Each participant must be willing to donate their piece to be sold on the Craft Warrior site with ALL PROCEEDS going to the Special Operations Warrior Foundation.  The Special Operations Warrior Foundation provides full scholarship grants and educational and family counseling to the surviving children of special operations personnel who die in operational or training missions and immediate financial assistance to severely wounded special operations personnel and their families.

Additionally, each participant must blog/tweet/or otherwise promote the challenge.  Bottom line:  the more folks buzzing about it, the more money we will raise!

This challenge is limited to 8 volunteers. We will draw names on Monday, March 6 and the piece must be sent to me on or before April 15, 2011.   Shoot me an email if you want play!  

IN THE STUDIO:

I am back to felting these days.  I just finished another fiber cuff which features a 30mm Swarovski button as the focal.  The cuffs have inspired me to create some embellishment kits which will include hand dyed velvet, scrim, ribbons and more.  Look for them soon!

Meet Cooper!

Thanks for all of the name suggestions for the new pup.  We went with Cooper.  He is a doll, albeit a constantly filthy dirt ball of a doll!