#anyone else feel the divide between your artistic style and the Creative Vision in your head or is it just me

[krembruleed]

[tomasorban]

THE ZODIAC: GEMINI THE TWINS

Date of Rulership: 21st May-22nd June; Polarity: Positive, male; Quality: Mutable; Ruling planet: Mercury; Element: Air; Body part: Arms, hands, shoulders, collarbone and lungs; Colour: Yellow; Gemstone: Agate; Metal: Mercury.

In the first two zodiacal signs, we saw raw formative powers associated with the beginnings of complex life. Like all rudimentary organisms, Aries set the wheel of heaven into motion with a Big Bang of pure spontaneity and creative activity. Taurus then neutralized these fiery irruptions of vital life force by stitching together an earthenware blanket that funnelled them away from the rest of the cosmic banter, enough to stubbornly work up a sense of self-discipline so that Life could achieve some multiple and visionary aims. Whatever else they may be, Ares and Taurus are intensely self-focused, self-styled, self-serving, and self-motivated. For General Aries and Commander-in-chief Taurus, it’s all about self and satisfaction of self. This all changes with Gemini, a sign which forces a binocular split of life’s hitherto monocular vision; pure instinct has now relegated its position to a rudimentary intelligence acquired through observation and past experience.

Facilitated by a split into two distinct entities than inhabit the space of one conscious being, this formative power is all about mental dialogue and communication. It orientates itself in the world by observing the actions and reactions of others around it, pocketing them into airtight pigeonholes as past memories, and then calculating the direction and angle of its own movement accordingly. Gemini is uninhibited, brave, experimental and multidimensional in its habits. Why race along a straight line at the speed of a bullet train like Aries or dawdle along a perpendicular one to that like Taurus when there are innumerable other options available. Gemini won’t follow a tribal leader or top dog or father figure when it comes to paving out its own life path. Instead it might take a few vigorous little steps forward, take a lunge to the side, trace out a zigzag course diagonally and then proceed to trace out circles on the spot. It needs to experience things from different angles and vantage points; Gemini might start off swimming across an uncharted ocean one minute before deciding that’s its best to grow wings and fly over it instead. Minutes into the flight it might decide that sailing, an endeavour that didn’t quite appeal at first, is indeed a superior option. In the end it decides it doesn’t really want to embark on a lengthy journey to a foreign land and so transmutes itself into a feather which floats about for some time before settling on the surface of an oscillating sea. At any rate, the courses of action it chooses never quite last for extended periods as such, for consistency and method bore the mercurially-natured Gemini. This zodiacal sign exudes mutable energy and derives from ethereal air, and so people born beneath the stars of its constellation are likely resemble breezes and tempests, scattering bits of themselves everywhere but never quite committing or infusing themselves wholly into one specific avenue of inquiry, goal or task. Like air, the “souls” born under Gemini can be wistful, light-hearted and frivolous or tumultuous, dangerous, blind and irrational, depending on which way the daily current blows. And like all lovers of brain noise, they love talking to themselves, to one another, and to everyone else, irrespective of whether their listeners are attentive or not.

“Why would you want to be an Arian or Taurean when you can be me,” says Gemini. “I’m quite the bargain you see. I’m double trouble, two twins that think they’re the same person. With me, you get two pairs of hands, legs, brains, and anything else that tickles your fancy. You’ll never be bored, not even at Sunday Christenings or conventional weddings. Sometimes, you might even feel like you’re an honoured guest at the Mad Hatter’s Tea Party. Of course, I’m the one who gets to pick the roles and tell everyone how it’s going to work; I get to play the Mat Hatter who entertains everyone with my nonsensical riddles, entangles myself in a verbal labyrinth of speaking out aloud, and laughs at my own jokes. You, my friend, can be the passive observer who doesn’t utter a word yet pretends to be interested. Okay? A little bit of this and a little bit of that will keep things interesting and our bodies looking youthful, so let’s get stuck into it.  When I want answers about why things are the way they are make certain that what comes out of your mouth is short and sweet; I don’t have the patience for verbosity, longwinded soliloquys or esoteric philosophies for that matter. I find academics, intellectuals and anyone with depth to them intimidating and sometimes excruciatingly boring.  I’m a bit like a dogmatic religion sometimes; anything that stands outside my sphere of knowledge frightens me so. Hihi… I know I can be an annoying pain in the neck but I’ll make up for it by acting as your third eyes and ears. You’ll be the first to know the latest gossip on what your enemies are all up to, and that way you can remain that one step ahead of them and look twice, if not four times as bright. When I’m feeling blue, you’ll start getting all the “why” and “what” questions, one after the other. But don’t worry, seldom do I have downers and you’ll love my blasé attitude to the human condition. What of the human condition could ever be of any importance anyway…?’  

Gemini is all about the law of twos–dual states of consciousness and mind, a propensity for double vision. One is inwardly turned, tuned into an internal world of thought, memory and imagination, and the other is outwardly turned, thriving in the exterior realm of verbal communication and physical contact. Geminis have an innate talent for living in both at the same time, and can flit between the subjective and objective planes as effortlessly and mindlessly as a circus clown juggling a quartet of coloured balls. This indicates a profound talent for mimicry and deception; they can counterfeit the emotions, feelings and images projected by others to perfection and wear them with such authentic conviction as to attract an Academy Award nomination. Hence Geminis usually make good actors and actresses, and can be quite successful in the denomination of visual arts.

The eternal unrest of their dual vision confers a supernal power seldom realised by any of the other zodiacal archetypes; the ability to chance upon reality through sheer intuition, or to encounter it with the aid of scientific instruments and measurements. A young Gemini is just as likely to become a shy and unobtrusive female artist as it is a dominant and poised male scientist. Sometimes, he or she might turn out to be a bit of both. In fact, the duality of being can be such a dominant characteristic in their psychic makeup that one can easily be fooled into thinking that there’s two individual and well-developed personalities trapped inside the same body. In encompassing polygonal and multilayered views of reality, they come equipped with a valuable philosophy that is easily transposed to a more practical level. Gemini understands that rationality offers the best lens through which life should be viewed. Rationality bestows upon its viewer a sense of providence, the feeling that life is a previous gift not to be wasted. Physical or emotional ideals distort it and imprison one within their own worries and troubles, so much in fact that one might begins to feel that life isn’t quite worth the struggle or effort anymore. Gemini’s inclination to avoid this way of thinking makes its existence a happy and harmonious one.      

If Gemini were to be represented by a different totem, it would no doubt have been the butterfly. The latter is a symbol of transformation; it begins life as larva, grows into a caterpillar, and eventually undertakes a major transformation to become a butterfly. The soul of Gemini is like a butterfly, a light-hearted and transient winged entity that flits about here, there, and everywhere, never quite knowing what to do or where to stop. Wings imply breadth of experience and freedom, a quality quite dear to Gemini; freedom abhors law, especially laws of censorship that restrict its self-expression and development. The way of Gemini is not compatible with conservative views, or moral ones even. Like the ephemeral butterfly, people born under this sign can display flashes of ingenuity but rarely does it last. This is probably a by-product of its ruling planet, Mercury, which renders it restless, somewhat unstable, volatile, and most importantly, protean.

Like Aries and Taurus, there are also two symbols associated with the zodiacal sign of Gemini. The first, a pictorial representation of two figures holding hands, has been a subject of some controversy. Astrologers can’t seem to get their heads around whether the pair are two males, two females, a male and a female, androgynous beings, and what the nature of the relationship between the two actually is; are they fraternal twins, identical twins, or unrelated lovers? The ancient cultures were just as divided on this issue as we are today: the ancient Babylonians and Greeks perceived the respective constellation as an image of male twins; the ancient Egyptians, on the other hand, were convinced it was a male-female pair; the primordial Indians saw star-crossed lovers; and the Imperial Romans saw their gods, the Delphic twins Apollo and Diana. The renowned Tarot identifies them as two lovers. Irrespective of gender or relationship status these figures were always depicted with their arms interlinked, illuminating the concept of harmony, internal and external cohesion, and requited love. The second symbol is a shorthand version utilized by astrologers in the creation of horoscopes and is comprised of two upright columns conjoined along the top and bottom. This sign, as the exposition has thus far revealed, has everything to do with duality of being and with the conunctionis or marriage of opposites. Esoterically, one might choose to view this glyph as a conjunction of the Chinese yin and yang or the alchemical mercury and sulphur.  It is also a fine representation of an inexplicable link between an upper, heavenly realm of spirits, ideas, and telepathic communication and a lower, earthly plane of concrete and clearly demarcated physical forms.

Both signs draw attention to the fundamental nature of complex life. The one becomes two and the two become one again. Everything that exists in the cosmos seeks contact, union, and co-existence with an immediate likeness without having to forfeit its own identity or personality in the process. Both signs represent opposition and conjunction, and both draw attention to a mortal state of division whose primary purpose is to reconcile all opposites within itself and unite with God. Of course the condition of being alienated from one’s source also has the adverse effect of inciting restlessness and mental agility.

[thebandcampdiaries]

DS Westwood - Good Vibes Only

A catchy single combining hip-hop with electronic music, pop, and other interesting musical influences.

DS Westwood is an artist and songwriter whose music combines the energy of hip-hop with the timeless melodies of pop music. Recently, he released a brand new single titled “Good Vibes Only.” As the title of this release might imply, this is actually a very positive song with a unique twist and a stunning atmosphere. The electronic backdrop is modern and fresh and DS has got a really special lyrical flow. In fact, The brand new project marks a significant step forward for the artist, a true milestone that showcases growth and creative vision. there are so many interesting ideas here, and DS Westwood knows how to seamlessly bridge the divide between different musical styles, giving his audience a truly special experience. On top of that, DS has a killer vocal tone,  displaying a very dynamic vocal style that brings energy and vibrancy to the table, seamlessly blurring the lines between different styles and ideas.

What’s special about “Good Vibes Only” is that it comes from a  relatively simple idea, yet the arrangement ended up being sophisticated and intelligent, without compromising in terms of its immediacy and passion.

The song was also released in tandem with a matching music video, which was incredibly well-filmed, giving the song a really perfect visual companion. If you are a fan of artists as diverse as Pitbull, Kendrick Lamar, Logic, or Drake, you are definitely going to enjoy “Good Vibes Only,” and DS Westwood’s work in general.

Find out more about DS Westwood, and listen to “Good Vibes Only,” which is now available on the web:

https://youtu.be/aQzTOnrsKPc

We also had the chance to catch up with the artist: keep reading for our full interview!

I love how you manage to render your tracks so personal and organic. Does the melody come first, or do you focus on the beat the most?

Answer: When I am composing: the beat always comes first and when I’m really inspired by the beat I am making then the melody and the flow both follow

Do you perform live? If so, do you feel more comfortable on a stage or within the walls of the recording studio?

Answer: At the moment I am not performing live - I’ve done quite a few shows in the past but being a bit of an introvert I really love to be in the studio.

If you could only pick one song to make a “first impression” on a new listener, which song would you pick and why?

Answer:  If I were to pick one song it would be the one I just released called: “Good vibes Only” because I find it’s a good introduction of who I am as a person and I just like good vibes. The other reason is that I find that the song is very catchy and I’m quite sure most people at a certain point in their life can relate to this track and I simply want to share happiness and good vibes with the rest of the world.

What does it take to be “innovative” in music?

Answer: To me, I believe that to be innovative first of all you need to be different from the rest by creating a new sound and an authentic sound that others may have not experimented before and by doing that, I think it’s important to let go of any fear and to go with the flow and try out new sounds, flows, vibrations which will lead to creating something brand new and that to me is innovating because as an artist you are not copy-pasting someone else’s work, style or voice and you are only being yourself at the end.

Any upcoming release or tour your way?

Answer: Currently I do not have any planned tour dates so that will be something I will definitely look at in the future. My main focus at the moment is to continue working on branding myself as an artist and to also build a solid fan base. I do have a full album ready and my plan is to release a single on a monthly basis so that also I am able to reach out to the maximum amount of people and fans as possible so that they can appreciate my music for what it really is.

Anywhere online where curious fans can listen to your music and find out more about you?

Answer: Of course! My team and I are ensuring that my website is updated with all the related news, upcoming projects, and new blog content, videos, photoshoots and everything related to my music. Anyone is welcome to visit my social media contacts and links through the portal: www.dswestwood.com

[promomagazine]

Quick Q&A with Irina Dzhus | Fashion Designer & Brand Owner

By Michael Suber | CEO & Founder of Promo Magazine

 -What & Who is DZHUS?

DZHUS is a Ukraine-based conceptual womenswear brand, run by me, designer Irina Dzhus. 

-What is your typical day when running a brand like yours?

Every my day is different from another one. Besides multitasking for the brand (I do design, patternmaking, art direction, branding, graphic design, styling, sales, pr and some other directions), I also work as a fashion stylist and makeup artist for local and international projects.

My timetable is very tight, but, at the same time, very changeable, because great opportunities always occur very spontaneously, as well as unexpected concerns.

I almost never have weekends, but my everyday life is diverse and exciting, so I don't regret having no time for hobbies.

-In a brief description, how do you approach the business side of fashion when you first started?

Finding balance between creativity and business has never been easy, but for me it's very interesting to combine the unique concepts DZHUS is recognised by and absolute wearability of the garments. When I'd just released my first collections, there was quite a dilemma in which direction to move in the brand's development, as DZHUS had many followers, but this popularity didn't influence the sales - our audience tended to admire the designs but not buy those for themselves.

When, eventually, I got an order from The Hunger Games' stylists team, I have clearly realised that, although the level of this collaboration was very flattering to me and I was happy to make some pieces for them, costume design wasn't my ambition. What I wanted to create was intellectually designed ready-to-wear, which independently thinking and spiritual personalities would use in their everyday reality. Since then, I've changed the course of DZHUS' identity and presentation so that our products became completely utilitarian although featuring unique cut concepts and our followers don't feel any concerns to wear them.

 -As the owner, do you see yourself more on the design side or more on the business side? Or is it pretty much balanced?

Fashion design has been my dream since I was 5, so, naturally, I see myself much more on the design side. However, the brand cannot exist without the business side, so I had to learn how to manage that aspect as well. Eventually, now design as such takes probably about 10% of my time, whereas the rest has been spent on different kinds of management as well as other creative processes, such as graphic design, styling etc.

-Were there any setbacks to getting your label off the ground? How did you overcome that?

So far, the financial aspect has been our biggest issue. Although we have good sales, DZHUS is a niche brand, so our audience is initially very limited, yet still, the brand's development requires very big investment, to eventually maximise recognition and demand among these potential customers. It's such a challenge for an emerging brand to survive this period.

To me, creating innovative designs is a piece of cake in comparison to that business aspect.

-Who are your target consumers & how do you get them to look at your products?

A DZHUS woman is an independently-thinking intellectual who treats clothes as embodiment for their unique inner world.

Besides international concept stores where our collections are stocked, our customers often discover us for themselves on fashion press and social media. Many of our clients come from leading architectural and design platforms' audience, as our styles often get featured there as well, because of their architectural aesthetics.

-Obviously you created a unique brand, we would like to know if you collaborated with anyone to help you produce such a phenomenal collection?

I always do all of the design part by myself. The seasonal DZHUS collections are created by our team only, but from time to time we release capsule lines, designed by me in collaboration with other brands or within projects that I find interesting and familiar to DZHUS aesthetics and philosophy.

-How would you describe yourself as a person & artist?

I am a desperate perfectionist and a radical nonconformist. Whatever I do will refer to certain principles of my individual worldview, which is very different from the nowadays archetypes. 

I don't divide my personality and my professional activity - moreover, my design has always been the only means of self-positioning for me.

-What made you so interested in becoming a fashion designer?

My enormous interest in apparel design has appeared in early childhood, so now it's hard to define a particular reason. To me as a child and a teenager, it felt very natural to spend every spare minute sketching outfits, so I just don't know what it's like to live without this need.

-Do you have a favourite designer who inspires you? Why is that?

I adore early Margiela and Yamamoto, because of their ingenuous and revolutionary approach to cut and fashion as such. Something as different from anything else can hardly be found in the nowadays fashion.

-What story are you trying to convey through your designs?

Spirituality and technologies are the main sources of inspiration for me and this mix forms the identity of DZHUS. All things I get inspired with, be it ancient iconography or industrial uniform, have another, deeper meaning besides of their obvious visual peculiarity. These objects embody certain social, psychological aspects that balance on the edge of mental and spiritual perception. Their controversial ethos helps push the boundaries of conscience.

I deeply analyse an object that inspires me, extract the crucial details, interpret them and, using these modules, construct a utilitarian product with an artistic soul.

I concentrate on the very essence of the garment I create, play up the characteristic features and the emotional content of my source of inspiration in the structure, texture and fabric finishes of my design.

As a result, an independent artistic existence lies in the core of every garment, a pure avant-garde cosmos with its own principles and structures.

-Did you ever see yourself to be so successful in establishing a known brand?

I knew I would launch a fashion brand since I was 5. At 15, I've made up my mind on what its aesthetics would be like. So, frankly speaking, for me this has always been the only acceptable life scenario.

-Tell me about your latest collection. What was your vision when you created it?

DZHUS Spring/Summer 2017 line, “Carbon”, is dedicated to the phenomenal element that forms the key component for all known life on Earth. Carbon is a quintessence of black, the fundamental colour of DZHUS’ identity. Carbon is coal, traditionally mined in Ukraine, my homeland. The workers’ rigid routine, uniform and stern industrial constructions have inspired the surly, utilitarian leitmotif of the designs. Carbon is graphite, used to draw harsh lines and delicate shadings, which have embodied in contoured edges and sheer textures of DZHUS monochrome garments. Carbon is ashes, which will remain when we are gone, as a symbol of life’s fragility and the eternal cycle of nature.

 -To be a designer, you had to undergo a lot of struggles. What was the most difficult obstacle for you when putting together your collection?

With my early collections, I used to convey very edgy industrial aesthetics. My work often got featured on blogs and social media, however, DZHUS had much more admirers than real customers. Moreover, I've gained a reputation of a futuristic costume designer, which had never been my aim, even despite my collaboration with The Hunger Games and some celebrities. What I always wanted to create was a conceptual fashion product worn by intelligent and independent individuals in their everyday life.

Having realised that I had to move further in my approach to design. I started to develop my technological skills, as well as my aesthetical taste and ethical worldview, and have reconsidered my vision of a modern fashion product. I found it even more exciting to adapt my innovative cut concepts to the ready-to-wear reality, in terms of customers' comfort and quality requirements. Now I mostly use natural fabrics, yet accompany those with my signature industrial-inspired finishes and accessories (I impregnate denim with rubber, bleach linen, pipe DZHUS’ signature exposed seams with elastic etc.) - and I see how people's impression of DZHUS has changed, along with increase of demand.

-If you could showcase your designs anywhere in the world, where would you start and why?

There are several concept stores I'd love to get stocked at most of all: Dover Street Market, 4, Antonioli, Daad Dantone, Ink Clothing, 24 of August and a few more. Their atmosphere and vision of fashion goes very much in line with DZHUS identity.

-Who excites you the most (Celebrity) & why?

I am very rarely inspired with people who I don’t know in person, neither I have celebrity idols.

What I’m always excited about are objects: their shape, surface, properties, origin and symbolical meaning.

-How is your brand different from any other designer brands?

The most important thing about my designs is their innovative and alternative cut. I perceive the world through the prism of its complex structure. In my constructions, I interpret shapes and silhouettes of various objects or phenomenons. These might be elements of architecture or human anatomy, but mostly, I'm into exploring metaphysical geometry: forms and voids around them, their contours, coordination and interaction, transformation and projections on to space.

The main ethical principle of my work is to fulfil only unique concepts that are worth production in our era of oversupply. Naturally, all of DZHUS products are cruelty-free and vegetarian-friendly.

-What are your world-dominating goals for DZHUS?

I always feel like there's an objective need for me to bring my innovative concepts to life, - a mission, if you want, - otherwise they would remain just a fantasy, whereas they deserve to be introduced to the world and to have their own independent existence and relations with people who understand and value them.

The other and probably even more important message I want to deliver with my designs is the necessity of being humane and future-oriented in the modern reality. By producing sustainable and cruelty-free fashion products and communicating them to intelligent and open-minded audience, I aspire to prove that it is possible to look edgy and avant-garde, yet remain in peace and harmony with the universe.

[dannick99]

18th Birthday - Landmark for Mom

Just do it. Just pick one and run with it, like the wind. No looking back. Pick your *1 *out of 20 to 25 viable creative ideas that have been stirring in your head for years and fleshing themselves out as you age and grow and learn. Take it and run with it -is what I keep hearing… From God and from good understanders of me and my ideas and  how I tick.   Run with it, WW! Like the wind. No looking back and questioning whether it was the right one to start with......or not. The others aren't going anywhere any time soon, hopefully(?). Just do it, I hear Nike reverberate between my ears.  Just take the first steps and God will bless it. God and  other "importants" in my life are well aware of my ADD 'stuck'  struggle for years.  Too much creativity flow at times can be a problem when life is already slam- jam packed, full of necessary responsibilities and life's  necessities beaming at you.   That rare gift can be a gift(ADD), a blessing to be thankful for, which I am, but it can be a curse in other ways. So they say, and I believe them more every new year, indecisiveness is for sissies.....so here I go… Out into the wild blue yonder of this "reveal yourself" blog world. With my music, writing, photography, painting, appreciation of all things beautiful and creative/artistic, all based in love and positivity, it's time to Flow🌬🌬🌈☀️ And to start on the night after my son's 18th birthday (appropriately sentimental, as it should be), i'm tending towards introspection.   First of all, I feel enormously blessed and gifted as a mom in the parenting department of my three. They're the only three I can speak for. Parenting is NOT for sissies, especially single parenting(🙃), or lazy or settled or self-centered or too-busy-to-get down-to-it parenting. Ha, or all of the above, for that matter.. Judge not that you be not judged :-&! I'm the last to throw stones, at anyone, for anything, especially parents. I have had my share of plenty well-deserved stones thrown and plenty not-so- deserved stones. Something my parents didn't tell me enough… Life isn't fair!  Don't expect it to be. Even when you make mistakes and you fess up. Or even when others who have left you come back and beg your forgiveness and fess up themselves, (although, admittedly, that part Does feel more fair;)!) If nothing else, being the target/the focus of the gossip tree, will humble you and teach you to look outside of the box when it comes to what I may hear about others. I don't succeed 100% of the time, but I try to hear it from all sources before I speak.  I'll make my own decisions based on proper, well gathered facts, thank you very much ;) So, BY THE WAY, welcome to my free-falling (Tom Petty style🎵) - mostly - unapologetic  first blog entry of 2017!! 🎬🏹🔛🥂🆓🈂🔓✒️📆📬🎉🔮💡⌛️🌠🛤🎡🗽🚥🚀🎤🍻🌛🌙🌒🌝🌻🐶👢💃💁🗣👉🏼👻🤔🙀👣🇺🇸☮️ On THAT note, I'm already apologizing…😑- lol. I'm not one to go on an emoticon binge like this, but I have to say it's a pretty good description....one by one by one.....of where this, my new stream of conscious blogging very well may lead! 9 and 17 are my lucky numbers, I was born on July 17 and my son was born on January 17. J and A seem to be my letters. Numbers are always coming into play in my life in the wildest of ways. And lately #1 has been pretty damn cool (but more on that later). Craziness with that number and I've got photographic proof! For months now… Weirdville, I'm telling you! But more coming...soooo much more later. On so many subjects! Flatlining has not been my norm. I was born and taught by all the right folks in my life along the way, definitely including my parents and family, a very strong message of "Love is the most motivating factor, think for yourself, make things better for everyone, be authentic at all costs, keep God first and then, truly, in all manner of things, all shall be well😇. I am no angel but a very gratefully content 53-year-old mother of an awesome grown daughter (28) and two sons I adore as well - 18 and 15. I've been divorced a time or two, which yes deductibly means I've been married a time or two. More to come on that subject. Ive never been afraid to take chances and speak my mind when strong opinions and convicted convictions submerge. That may just set the stage for the up and coming Blogtone (shouldn't that be the name of a band?!) as its gonna pour outta me a couple nights a week. I'll try to choose a theme each time (So many to choose from, and yes, I'm sorry - and happy- to tell you, if you don't know this about me, that I have significant ADD! ).  You'll see… If you look for it. Its that freefalling thing I was talking about earlier :-& Anyway, this blog (I hate that word!? Come on… What else can we call it??) will always be supported with photographs, quotes, lyrics, songs, videos, and hopefully good writing along the way. Its part of a vision/dream in the making and something I feel led to get a move on with right now! January 18, 2017. Without long intro, the subject of the night is my oldest son turning 18 yesterday. It's a definite thing to take note of as a parent and as an 18-year-old. We did last night. I have two sons and a daughter I adore equally. Really, for all their different reasons and beings. But tonight I want to honor my son who's become man. Because he deserves it. Here's my letter to Brade: You've been through a lot son, and I only see that you come out stronger. Yes, I am a proud mom and a pleased one with who I can see you are today. God knows I've been learning as I go with boys, but you have paved the way, Brady, and while I couldn't adore or respect your sister any more than I do, you have paved your own way and I have done my part and been able to sit back and be mightily impressed with who this little boy has turned into and applaud the decisions YOU've  made to be your own person. You are kind, loving, empathetic, stubborn, demanding at times, messy as hell, but somehow stay on top of it all just enough to pull off a darn good balance in being a good well-rounded human being. Your 18th birthday was and felt significant. You're my son, a friend, one of the greatest companions ever, and still learning, until the day you leave for college! And this last semester of your senior year seems to have freed you from all the burdens and responsibilities that have  fallen on your shoulders. Yay!!🎉. As you know, I'm already crying....just with your 18th birthday, graduation tears on the way (it's OK, you know your mama ;)). Anyway, the birthday night looked like it might not go super smoothly, but God had his hand in it and all went just perfectly👍🏼. Brady got to eat his favorite cake and eat it too. And more cake coming his way. The beauty of a divided family… Many many celebrations for someone we/they all love.  What can be better than to be loved that much that there are too many celebrations to plan in a birthday week?!❤😘. Now he's looking for the perfect present to give his best friend Cameron, whose birthday is around the corner and who has life-threatening melanoma. Cameron is my early-on dubbed "third son". Brady and Cot (my youngest and a true soul) and all of Cameron's closest friends are keeping him strong along with his incredible fighting spirit. He's going to beat the odds💥🎯#cameronstrong! All this in the middle of my daughter's long life BFF almost dying through childbirth a week ago. Very scary situation, Campbell took off work and went to Birmingham for a week to help, as any bestie would do ;)  through a gazillion prayers and a lot of true faith, and miracles no doubt, she is not only surviving but thriving and more and has been able more every day. Her baby Max is too!  Looked mighty mighty dicey there for a while. We are all Thanking God, literally. I am a single mother, with a good supportive father, who has my kids half the time, who tries hard to make a difference when I do have them (and every day I don't) in the ways I feel matter as far as raising the best absolute human beings to go into the world and contribute in all the right ways and feel good about themselves in the meantime - that's my style of kid raising. And I hope that they will always know that they can ask God for the answers and he will provide. Because he does and as, hopefully, they will I've seen enough of that after a while to really know they can believe in him and his goodness and his ways. Anyway, to sum up Blog No. 1, from my Deck of Declarations, i'll say that my views good. Life is hard at times. My children inspire me to be a better person, so I can keep teaching them about all the things that matter the most and being a good human being on this planet... whether they become a sports star, a corporate magnate, a starving artist of some sort, a sitcom writer, a Brooklyn bridge salesman, a waiter, a rapper or a baker, or anything else (other than a drug doer/dealer or a criminal