We took a stroll through a piece of the past yesterday – went to White Haven, the childhood home of Julia Dent Grant (the subject of a current research project on famous Missourians going on at our house).  The park rangers were absolutely lovely to us – tailored the talk to include a little more about Julia and a little less about Ulysses, used a little audience participation as my youngest “played” Emma Dent, and turned us loose in the house and grounds to find our own questions, come back, and get answers. 

It was exactly the way to entice a reluctant offspring who wasn’t so sure she wanted to go to a museum, even to help out her sister.  It gave us material for the paper (Julia wasn’t as good a cake baker as she thought she was…blame it on the flour!), a love story that was beautiful instead of sloppy (Ulysses got embarrassed when his soldiers caught them holding hands), and we stood on the porch where he proposed and she accepted.

It’s why we tell stories, real or imagined.  So we can share a common moment, with a common thread.  We each take something away – I’m going to be thinking about free/equal for a good long time.  Not a bad way to spend a sunny Sunday.

I’m looking for a magic wand today.  A modern magic wand, that I can tuck in my pocket (without breaking it) and pull out whenever I need a little something extra.  Robert, Sean and I had a budget meeting last night.  While $$ are always a question, that wasn’t necessarily our priority last night.  How do the arts bring in people who have never been there before, and produce something that makes them instantly so big a fan that they donate, attend, and tell their friends?

I went to a meeting sponsored by HotCity (thank you very much) where we were all asking that question.  How do you get someone to walk through some interesting art, sit down for a concert, hang out for a show, decide they are brave enough to want to be a part of creating.  How do you not feel jealous when someone else gets the mention in the paper, the comment at the water cooler, the attendance numbers you crave?

What have you tried lately, that takes you out of your comfort zone?  What did it take to get you there…price?  A friend?  A twist on a tried and true idea? Will you go back?  Are you going to grab a couple of your nearest and dearest to share the experience?  We ask ourselves these questions all the time, and try to balance what nobody else is doing (can you say Exit the King? or Under Milk Wood? or Almost, Maine?)  with what is inside the zone…and you surprise us.

Who says waiting at the doctor’s office isn’t productive?  All those magazines from months/years ago that you read while you’re sitting there… And then something jumps out at you.  From a home decorating magazine, no less.

“The masters in the art of living make little distinction between their work and their play, their labor and their leisure…they simply pursue the vision of excellence in whatever they do…to them they are always doing both.”  And the only attribution is to Zen…

But the truth is sound.  Do both.  Have a vision of excellence, and enjoy what you’re doing.  Don’t lose sight of the fun in the pursuit, celebrate, and keep pressing onward.  I’m glad I had to sit and wait today…I can always use the reminder that art is challenging and amazing and laugh-out-loud entertaining.