New Beginnings

Although the calendar date of spring was last week, for New England this week is just beginning to have the real taste of spring. The snow is melting, and staying melted, the birds are out, and the sun is alive and well. Its been a long wait, but it seems spring may finally be here to stay. 

In response to the return of the sun, and my motivation, I start to plan out all sorts of things, such as craft projects, To-Do Lists, and even long term goals. Spring just has a way of jump starting the year. It's a time of renewed energy and purpose. A time to clean out the dust of winter and start anew.

Bellow I've compiled a list of suggested To-Do's for Spring, mostly from my own goals:

-Clean out your closet

-Go for a walk

-Spend time with your pets

-Finish uncompleted crafts

-Make summer plans

-Try out new recipes

-Make time to read

-Go on a short trip

-Pick a bouquet of flowers

-Avoid spring bugs!



What is your favorite spring activity?

Enigma
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7 Ways to Improve Your Artistic Mindset

Being an artist is not about profession, skill level, or medium, its about mindset. Having an artistic mindset is what makes the term artist appropriate. Whether you love photography, calligraphy, or watercolor, if you have the desire and imagination to bring your unique perspective to life, you are an artist.
That being said, it does take effort and a conscious awareness to perceive the world in a artistic way and convey that through your chosen medium. I've put together seven things you can do to encourage your artistic outlook.

1: Ponder: Taking time out of your day, whether it be ten minutes on your lunch break or before bed can help your brain develop ideas.

2: Be Open-Minded: Allowing yourself to be exposed to other cultures, mediums, and art styles will keep you full of new ideas. Studying others also helps you become a well rounded artist.

3: Inspiration: Inspiration is fleeting and unpredictable. However, seeking out art that inspires you to keep going when its tough can go a long way to improving your craft.

4: Do Things You Love: Inspiration and passion come from things we love. Whether its reading, jogging, or playing with your dog, more often than not, our passions will bleed into our art.

5: Surround Yourself: Surrounding yourself with your chosen art medium will help you consciously and subconsciously absorb style and technique. You'll start to notice patterns related to each medium.

6: Take Art With You: Having a portable means of doing your art will not only help you practice more, it will help you stay in an art mindset even when rushing through the day.

7: Practice: Perhaps the most important piece of keeping an artist mindset and improving your art is practice. Practice is the one surefire way to improve at anything, art is no exception.

What is your artistic expression?

Enigma

7 Reasons to go Hiking

Hiking is a simple activity with many benefits. Recently I've been exploring local hiking trails, slowly building up my experience. Hiking reconnects you with nature, giving you a sense of humility and appreciation for what nature provides for us.

1: Exercise: Hiking is a great way to get an all body workout. Your trail can be long and vigorous, or short and mild. The choice is yours.

2: Beautiful Scenery:  Most hiking trails have scenic views or interesting plant and wildlife. Perfect for those with an interest in photography.

3: Family:  Hiking is a wonderful family activity. It gets everyone out and moving, and creates many precious memories.

4: Adventure:  Hiking can be a great adventure. You never know what special sight or experience you'll come across.

5: Fresh Air:  While this is a great companion for exercise, fresh air in itself is a wonderful motivator to hike.

6: Contemplation:  Hiking is a beneficial way to turn the brain away from the everyday hustle, to ponder.

7: Its Cheap!:  Besides basic safety items and equipment, the only thing you need for hiking are feet!

What is your favorite hiking story?

Enigma

Life of Pi

Life of Pi is a genre of its own. Haled a modern classic, it truly lives up to the hype. Written by Yann Martel, the story follows the survival of Pi, an Indian boy who is stranded in the Pacific after the Japanese cargo boat headed to America sinks. Finding himself suddenly orphaned, Pi's predicament is further complicated by the zoo animals that take refuge from the wreck in his life boat. One of these refuges is a 450 pound Bengal tiger.

The plot starts out leisurely with stop and start action, but that does not make it less riveting. If anything the slow thoughtful theme of the story deepens every action and brings home the impossible situation Pi is faced with. Pi's internal dialogue and revelations at sea are moving. This story provokes an infinite question that everyone has an opinion on. Is there a God? It would be hard to go through Pi's situation without the support of some type of faith. As Pi shows in the story, his faith is severely tested and at moments denied. The religious thoughts and questions brought up in Life of Pi are eye opening. It truly is a life altering story for those with an open mind.

The characters are few and unique. Pi's family is a big part of his life and the set up for the story, but the longer Pi is at sea, the more the mention of other characters dwindle. Richard Parker, a commanding presence on his own, is simplistically described. His personality is elaborated throughout the story by Pi.
Pi himself is an interesting character. He holds fast to his own beliefs and opinions. Yet is willing to grow and adopt other beliefs if they connect with his morals. A boy of science and faith, his perspective is anything but ordinary.

The incredible journey at sea is wrapped up with their rescue. Pi shares his experience with the authorities and anyone who will listen, but the majority are skeptical of his story. Richard Parker runs off into the forest is not heard from again. As the story closes, the surprising true facts about this event are described: There really was a boy who was lost at sea in the Pacific for 227 days, a Japanese cargo ship really sank at the same time and area as in the book, and this boy claimed he was at sea with a Bengal tiger the entire journey. This story leaves you feeling uncertain, maybe even hollow or uncomfortable. It leaves you with a big question, and a sense that more exists in this world than we comprehend.

What are your thoughts on this out of the box novel?

Enigma