October 17, 2011 In appreciation, art, communication, creativity, design, drawing, illustration, inspiration By Patricia Saxton

A Plethora of P’s / #42: Pursuit

proactively punctuating life with the plausible, powerful possibilities of positive thought presented through a plethora of “P’s”.

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Reach high, for stars lie hidden in your soul. Dream deep, for every dream precedes the goal.  ~ Pamela Vaull Starr

Plant the seeds. Climb the hills. Cross the streams. Reach for the moon and stars. Your dreams are worthy of attending.

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October 10, 2011 In appreciation, art, communication, creativity, design, inspiration By Patricia Saxton

A Plethora of P’s / #41: Poise

proactively punctuating life with the plausible, powerful possibilities of positive thought presented through a plethora of “P’s”.

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Poise: the ability to be ill at ease inconspicuously. ~ Earl Wilson

Mr. Wilson is so right. Poise is really about composure, balance and grace under fire. The idea that you can stand calm, keep your wits, speak intelligently ~ when getting rattled might seem the more natural reaction, the easier thing to do!

Poise is self-respect made elegant. So, keep your cool. Smile in the face of adversity. Stand a little taller and don’t let your feathers get too ruffled! It’s usually not worthwhile… but your dignity is.

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October 3, 2011 In appreciation, art, communication, creativity, design, inspiration By Patricia Saxton

A Plethora of P’s / #40: Persistence

proactively punctuating life with the plausible, powerful possibilities of positive thought presented through a plethora of “P’s”.

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Persistence is to the character of man as carbon is to steel.  ~ Napoleon Hill

You just can’t beat the person who never gives up. ~Babe Ruth

In the confrontation between the stream and the rock, the stream always wins – not through strength, but through persistence. ~ Buddha

Persistence is a determined state of mind; a driving force with an out-and-out refusal to give up. Yes, it can be used for the wrong reasons, or lead down a darker road if the persistent thought revolves around negative expectations. But it’s also what we do to combat adversity or deafen the naysayers… we persist; and that positive persistence holds an amazing ability to shift outcomes for the better, to breed courage and to drown out disappointment.

Persistence urges you on to finish a race, gives you the adrenaline to win a match, pushes you to climb higher and reach farther. It says, “I can do this, I can learn that, I can grow this, I can develop that … and I’m gonna put one foot in front of the other, over and over, to make it so”.

It’s all about how you think. Then you act, then things happen. So, it’s a good idea to check the nature of your thoughts… because the dominant thoughts become the persistent attitude that will set your course and lead the way.

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September 26, 2011 In appreciation, art, communication, creativity, design, inspiration By Patricia Saxton

A Plethora of P’s / #39: Piano

proactively punctuating life with the plausible, powerful possibilities of positive thought presented through a plethora of “P’s”.

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“No other acoustic instrument can match the piano’s expressive range, and no electric instrument can match its mystery.” ~ Kenneth Miller

Billy Joel comes to mind. Stevie Wonder. George Winston. Herbie Hancock. Oscar Peterson. Ray Charles. Jerry Lee Lewis. Joni Mitchell. Regina Spektor. Scott Joplin. Bach. Beethoven. Haydn. Mozart. Tchaikovsky.

I admit I’m biased towards the piano. And I know it can probably be said for any musical instrument… but under the right hands (and heart & soul) pianos can be delicate, thunderous, funky, bright, rough, elegant ~ and everything in between.

Like a changing sky, her moods are endless; her range of emotion vast and deep as an ocean. Tickle her, and she sings with delight.

And if we match her up with a guitar and some conga drums… a bit of heaven just might appear.

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September 19, 2011 In appreciation, art, communication, creativity, design, inspiration By Patricia Saxton

A Plethora of P’s / #38: Polite

proactively punctuating life with the plausible, powerful possibilities of positive thought presented through a plethora of “P’s”.

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Life is not so short but that there is always time for courtesy.  ~ Ralph Waldo Emerson

There are few words that take the friction out of life so easily as a warmly spoken please or thank you. The simplest of gestures can create a ripple of kindness ~ a cheerful greeting, holding a door, paying attention, lending a hand ~ they’re contagious, one polite deed leading to another, like flowering vines spreading out, taking root, weaving a sweetness into life.

How easy to affect the quality of a day! Acts of politeness take the bitter out, and soothe this challenging, sometimes beastly, business of being human.

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September 12, 2011 In appreciation, art, communication, creativity, design, inspiration By Patricia Saxton

A Plethora of P’s / #37: Pride

proactively punctuating life with the plausible, powerful possibilities of positive thought presented through a plethora of “P’s”.

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Sometimes pride gets a bad rap. But to me, pride is about dignity. It’s about self-respect ~ and choosing thoughts that are uplifting and life affirming, and actions that ignite feeling good about yourself.

It’s doing right without righteousness, your best without boasting, and feeling strong without pushing your weight around. It’s confidence without arrogance.

It’s personal; it’s humble; it doesn’t shout from rooftops or seek applause. Whether it’s pride in craftsmanship, pride in honoring your word, pride in athletic or intellectual achievement, pride in accomplishments of loved ones ~ it’s an inner code that elevates and strengthens. It’s integrity. Dignity of character.

Feel proud of something. Genuinely proud, and hold your head high.

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September 5, 2011 In appreciation, art, communication, creativity, design, inspiration, work and play By Patricia Saxton

A Plethora of P’s / #36: Productivity

proactively punctuating life with the plausible, powerful possibilities of positive thought presented through a plethora of “P’s”.

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Today we celebrate Labor Day in the U.S.. A tribute to all those whose hard work has helped build the strength, prosperity, and well-being of our country, it’s a day to “kick back” and relax, and appreciate the efforts and accomplishments of so many. A day to give ourselves the proverbial pat-on-the-back for productivity.

I’m a big believer in being productive. I guess it was instilled in my growing up years… but I don’t mean the kind that’s measured by the boss or a particular number of somethings you have to reach to fill someone else’s pre-determined goal. What I learned was that a job done well feels good, that doing your best matters, that there’s both personal and social value in making something better or brighter or more useful or more worthwhile.

Not every minute, not every single day, nor does productivity have to “change the world”. Being productive can be as simple as taking a walk instead of watching mindless blather on the tv, or as involved as developing cures for cancer. Maybe it’s laying bricks or writing stories or growing corn or teaching math. Maybe it’s lending a helping hand. Maybe it’s doing the laundry. Maybe it’s play.

There are no hard and fast rules; productivity is more about time used well and a penchant for positive purpose. Being productive is good stuff; it elevates the day.

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August 29, 2011 In appreciation, art, communication, creativity, design, inspiration By Patricia Saxton

A Plethora of P’s / #35: Patricia

proactively punctuating life with the plausible, powerful possibilities of positive thought presented through a plethora of “P’s”.

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Just seeing if you’re paying attention. : ) …

Patricia [puh-trish-uh]: a female name of Latin origin, derived from the Latin word patrician, meaning regal or “noble”. It also indicates someone who likes to write, draw, paint, swim, and wear cowboy boots to business meetings.

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August 22, 2011 In appreciation, art, communication, creativity, design, inspiration By Patricia Saxton

A Plethora of P’s / #34: Paper

proactively punctuating life with the plausible, powerful possibilities of positive thought presented through a plethora of “P’s”.

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Paper is a wonderful thing. So practical and so versatile!

Needless to say, paper has been a key player in my life as artist and writer, so my appreciation might be over the top.

You see, paper isn’t just a vehicle for grocery lists or movie tickets or plain paper towels… a crisp, blank piece of paper is a breath of fresh, new air, an open field to run through, a drawing or a story waiting to spring to life between each finely woven fiber. Wonder and possibility lurk on every piece! … I love paper.

Paper, by the way, has been around since dinosaurs first recorded their alphabet on a sturdy, if not leafy paper known as jurassicyrus ~ more commonly called dinopyrus. Dinopyrus preceded the use of the more well-known Egyptian papyrus scrolls by several million years.

After the dinosaurs, history is more clear. Papyrus, a thick paper-like product made from the flower stem of the papyrus plant, pressed together and dried, first appeared in Egypt around 2500 B.C. Papyrus had a good, long run, but was replaced at some point around the 2nd century B.C. by Greek and Roman parchment, a thinner sheet made from calfskin, sheepskin or goatskin. Later, in 105 A.D., Chinese inventor Ts’ai-Lun was credited with the first papermaking process, creating paper by pulping rags, cotton, hemp and and other plant fibers.

It wasn’t until 1838 that paper was made from wood pulp, a discovery by Canadian farmer Charles Fenerty. But Fenerty never patented his process, so that German inventor Fredrich Keller, who did patent a wood-pulp papermaking process around the same time, is often considered the original inventor.

And there you have it. Hope you’ll have a new respect for paper. Don’t waste it ~ but do appreciate it!

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August 15, 2011 In appreciation, art, communication, creativity, design, inspiration, intelligence, presentation By Patricia Saxton

A Plethora of P’s / #33: Posture

proactively punctuating life with the plausible, powerful possibilities of positive thought presented through a plethora of “P’s”.

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Mom always said to stand up straight. And at some point in the awkward growing up years, I realized she was right (of course). Standing “straight and tall” looks better, it feels better (when you get used to it), and it’s good for you.

Your posture speaks volumes without saying a word ~ not only projecting confidence outwardly, but inwardly. You can stand straight, head high, belly in, shoulders back and relaxed, or you can slouch in varying degrees of slump-dom… just know that how you choose to carry yourself matters to both your physical and mental health, ultimately affecting your general well-being.

And while you’re busy sitting up a little straighter, remember: the same benefits hold true for how you posture your thoughts. Are your thoughts life-affirming or life-diminishing? Do they reach up or look down? Are they strong or limp, flexible or rigid? Are they aligned with your actions? Aligned with your heart?

What we think, and how we think it, has enormous influence in the well-being of a moment, a day, a year, a lifetime.  As Buddha said, “What we think we become.”

And what’s really cool is that the simple act of “standing up straight” helps the positive flow of the thoughts we think ~ and vice versa. So it’s a win-win.

Mom sure was smart.

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