November 29, 2011 In appreciation, art, communication, creativity, design, drawing, illustration, inspiration By Patricia Saxton

A Plethora of P’s / #48: Pizza

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

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Because sometimes you just need to be mindless.

Pizza’s a happy, tasty, satisfying no-brainer made to order, with all kinds of goodness going on. It’s doughy and crusty and cheesy and saucy ~ and if you toss some veggies on, it’s a downright healthy meal! Not to mention it’s a very social food, built for sharing, bringing people together. And it makes us feel Italian. Pizza’s good stuff.

Versatile too. There’s thin and thick and deep-dish, white and red, chewy and crunchy. For artistic palettes, it’s a blank culinary canvas, a playground for all sorts of nifty gastronomical toppings. And how many foods are fun to watch being made?

There are lots of reasons to love pizza. But the truth of it is that we don’t have to think too much ~ we just enjoy it, in all its glorious, unsophisticated, delicious genuineness.

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November 22, 2011 In appreciation, art, communication, creativity, design, drawing, illustration, inspiration By Patricia Saxton

A Plethora of P’s / #47: Perfection

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

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A grand old oak. Moonlight on a tranquil sea. The timed-just-right one-liner. A child’s first alphabet. These are perfection.

And you (yes ~ you) are perfection. In all your realness, your uniquely you-ness, just the way nature made you, flaws and all. It’s not measured by the length of your legs, the width of your belly, or whether you might not be so good at baseball or science.

Unless you’re a jet engine, perfection is as nature made you. And nothing is more perfect, nothing so magnificently intricate and complex that runs more efficiently nor encompasses more bounty, grace, grandeur and passion than nature.

An exquisite rose reminds us of the world’s beauty; its thorns remind us that there is always a purpose beyond what meets the eye. An ugly plant may not elicit oohs and ahhs, but it might perhaps hold a cure for cancer.

We’re all part of nature’s fabric. We all have beauty, we all have thorns. We all have gifts, and reason to be here. Each and every one of us. Flawed, and marvelously, perfectly ourselves.

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November 14, 2011 In appreciation, art, communication, creativity, design, drawing, illustration, inspiration By Patricia Saxton

A Plethora of P’s / #46: Pair of Pears

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

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A pair of pears. Why not just pair, or just pear? Because, as we have been taught, things are often better in pairs. Two eyes, two hands, two feet, for example. Or “two heads are better than one”. Noah filled the ark in pairs. Girls always use the ladies room in pairs.

It must be, then, that two pears are more advantageous than one lonely pear all by itself. Twice the fiber, twice the vitamin C, and twice the calming effects on the nervous system.

Of course, the real truth is that I picked Pear as a positive P because, for some reason, I like to paint them. I actually prefer to paint them than eat them. Their curves and colors are incredibly conducive to a pen or brush ~ they practically beg for portraiture. For this reason alone, pears are good. Add in the medicinal benefits and they’ve got “positive” written all over them.

So a pear of pairs presents a dual positive. And I figure we could all use a double-dose of cheerful thinking now and then. Just remember to try and pair up wisely. And yes, eat your fruit.

"Two Pears" / © Patricia Saxton / Oil on Canvas

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November 7, 2011 In appreciation, art, communication, creativity, design, drawing, illustration, inspiration By Patricia Saxton

A Plethora of P’s / #45: Pachyderm

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

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Wrinkles never looked so good. Nor housed beings so big and rich in personality, intelligence, loyalty and tender care as an elephant clan.

Then there are the rhinos and hippos. And wild boars and warthogs. And I have to say I’m pretty enamored with their novelty and longevity in a civilized world. Just knowing they exist makes me happy for some reason.

That I’ve seen them in the wild makes me even happier ~ but let me tell you, I wouldn’t want to cross any of them when they’re in bad mood. They’re thick-skinned and they don’t take any bull. You gotta admire that.

And there’s something to be learned there, huh. Longevity… loyalty… thick skins… worrying less about things that are out of our reach, and more about taking care of what’s within our grasp, right here and now.

Food for thought.

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November 3, 2011 In appreciation, art, communication, creativity, design, drawing, illustration, inspiration By Patricia Saxton

A Plethora of P’s / #44: Pumpkin

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

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Pumpkin season! Bewitching, enchanting, spooky, happy pumpkin season….

I know I’m a little late on this one. It was all ready to go, then the power went out. Then it stayed out. Halloween itself was cancelled. School’s been cancelled. So you could say, life took a turn.

But the power’s back on, and my orange Pumpkin Cat “P” is here to remind us to make room to be bright, lighthearted and playful, a little bit preposterous ~ and, yes, even pointless now and then. :  )

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October 24, 2011 In appreciation, art, communication, creativity, design, drawing, illustration, inspiration By Patricia Saxton

A Plethora of P’s / #43: Patterns

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

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They’re unavoidable. Patterns, seen or unseen, weave the tapestries of life. From small and intricate to big and bold. Some as “routine” as the sun rising and setting, or tides coming and going. Some, like the hides of zebras and giraffes, are unique and irregular. An Aztec calendar is mystifying. A sky of stars, grand and mind-boggling. The patterns upon patterns that create the whole big universe ~ unfathomable.

And then there are the patterns of daily life; individual tapestries woven from the choices we make ~ the clothes we wear, the colors we include, the language we use, the people we align with, the actions we take, the thoughts we think.

And all of our choices that are creating patterns that are busy creating our own personal tapestries, interweave with others’ patterns creating their own personal tapestries ~  all becoming part of the quilt of the great big unknowable picture.

So how do you want to pattern your world? Which thought patterns serve you well and which get in your way? How will you weave your life tapestry?

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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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