The need for change

"The need for change
bulldozed a road
down the center of my mind."
-Maya Angelou

I am laying on my back while a technician is squeezing me through the narrow MRI tube hooked up to an apparatus looking like a baseball catcher's face mask.

Across town... my head is held steady by a chin strap, while a technician greases my head with bright blue conductive gel and then slips a cap on my head bristling with electrodes to read my brain waves during an EEG.

"Shall I think up some complicated math equations during the procedure to get my left brain working?" I ask. "Ya know... to beef it up a bit so it'll match more to the size of my right side?"

"NoOOOOOoooo!" she said. "You must lay completely still and try to empty your mind..."

"That's easy." Or so I thought.

The tests results on all four tests turned out NORMAL much to our relief. My brain is workin' normal (perhaps a slight suprise to some!)

The neurologist believes a blackout can happen to any who suffers from long term sleep depravation and a whole lot of stress. And I was only sleeping three to six hours most nights because nearly every free evening and weekend I had, I was moonlighting.

(Moonlighting! Remember that tv show from the 80s?) I never used that word before. But it seemed redundant when I typed free evening and freelance in the same sentence, so I switched it up to the lovely word moonlighting which also makes me think of the movie Moon Struck. And then of course, Moon Zappa. And Reverend Moon.

I think working long hours is overrated. I'm tired and need to fill myself back up. Everyone needs balance in their lives and free moments to replenish oneself. My yards needs it, too. And my house. I've neglected everything including myself and have suffered the consequences.

Last week I had a really great time in Portland at the International Spring Quilt Market. I really needed that creative boost. And I also got to rub shoulders with a lot of wonderful people who up until then, I only knew from reading their blogs. Well. Actually we didn't actually rub shoulders or it would have been a trade show for Massage Therapists and not one for Quilters.

My boss Kathy and JCaroline put together a fun Meet & Greet Party for creative bloggers to meet each other. You can read about it here on JCaroline's blog! (and go here and here and here, too. They are all really fun, creative people and have interesting blogs to visit from time to time.

Hanging out with these newly signed licensed designers and hearing the excitement in their voice and listening to their dreams was inspiring and touched deep places in my spirit. Their success really is just within their fingertips. I really believe they are in control of their own destiny. All they need to do is stand on their tiptoes and reach.

And they will. And you can, too. We all can. It's right there for us. I truly believe that.