There is more than one path to creativity

I spent some time at the Nasher Sculpture Center this weekend which is pretty cool if you've never been there:

http://NasherSculptureCenter.org

Once again, as I read about all the tumultuous details of artists' lives, I can't help but wonder why much of society seems to expect artists (visual, performing and writing) to have exclusive claim on all the world's suffering. Are historians who are writing about the artist's life seeking it out to add authenticity? And with this mindset, how can any artist resist magnifying anything in their life that could be perceived as drama so that they can tap into the furthest corners of their creative powers?

I'm not saying that pain isn't a valid source of creativity because it can be. But as someone who lived and studied in the world of the arts for many years, I have seen great artists who lead (gasp!) average, stable lives

Take a deep breath, close your eyes and jump in..

The future is uncertain..but this uncertainty is at the very heart of human creativity.
--Ilya Prigogine

At a time in my life where I really do feel like I'm jumping into uncertain waters in many ways, I am reminded that nothing shapes character more significantly than stepping out of a comfort zone. I always enjoy the process, but I also can't wait for that moment that makes it all worth it..when you emerge from the water, refreshed, energized and alive. That sensation is why we continue to allow ourselves to fall, dust ourselves off and try again.

Oh what they are missing..

Recently, I saw a segment on the local news about what people in Manhattan think about Texas. There are actually people who still think that we live in the sticks with a couple of horses each. Ok, so I haven't been to every little town in the Lonestar state, so maybe there still is some of that, but puhLEEZE. Here's what a girl who genuinely loves NYC, but loves TX even more has to say to them: Y'all need to GET OUT some.

bebe Spring 2006

The new spring collection has arrived and once again, I want to especially thank a couple of very special friends for asking me to model at the premier. Congratulations on your stores' successes this year!

For all you fashion seekers, my favorite store is stocked with sexy pencil skirts and fitted tops, short shorts, denim skirts and warm weather shrugs. Still plenty of sparkle and sheen, chunky jewelry and wedge heels to go around....

Bring on the warmer weather!

Happy Birthday to my Dad

Thank you to my Dad for:

• Teaching me to appreciate all things in nature (rocks, flowers, plants and animals)
• Disagreeing with me and insisting that I really was smart enough to understand math
• Believing that anyone can improve at anything if they just put forth the effort
• Showing me by example that being courteous and saying a few cheerful words to every person you run across (including toll booth attendatns, security guards, etc.) can make them and me smile
• Supporting my lofty dreams as a teenage aspiring violinist, financially and emotionally
• Never saying anything negative about my mother
• Showing me by example than there is such thing as a man who is comfortable with himself, has a backbone and is a good leader while still being faithful to, respectful toward, and supportive of women. (whether I always believed I would find someone like that is a different story, but whenever I'd hear other people say that men like that don't exist, I always knew deep inside that there was at least one)

Oh baby, baby

Yes, I am a woman but I do not automatically love all babies. I will not offer to hold every baby I see, I will not gush over every newborn baby picture, I don't really want to hear every detail of pregnancy, birth, and especially baby room decor. I'm not filled with burning desire to have one of my own whenever I am around a baby. You will not see me jumping at an offer to baby sit. For some reason, this leads many people to assume that I don't like babies or kids and that I don't know how to handle one and that I must be completely uncomfortable around them. I actually like very much to hold those little guys and girls, just not every single one I see. I've known how to hold and play with babies since I was the every preteen girl in America who went through the "I LOVE babies and baby-sitting" stage. Kids and babies are just like any other people in my life. I feel very comfortable with people (and kids and babies) in general, enjoy interacting with most of them (spoiled brats, old and young, are never enjoyable), and suprise, suprise, kids actually like me!

So why is it that if a woman doesn't have an obvious, eager sense of maternal nurturing, then they must be completely clueless about people younger than 18? I actually had someone say to me, "oh, you must be like my sister. She dropped my son when he was a baby."

Would she have said this to me if I were a man? I'm going to guess the answer to that is no.

Move Over Hallmark, it's Valentines Day with bebe Me (Belated)

Anyone that knows me knows how I love anything glittery and shiny, feminine and sensuous and candy and chocolate. So how could I not celebrate Valentine's Day whole-heartedly? Love? Ok, that's cool if you happen to have it and if that's what you want to make V-day about. But love has never been a limitation for me. In earlier years, I got fun little gifts from my parents, but as an adult, I buy myself my own gifts, always frivolous, but not necessarily pricey. I hand out candy, stickers, hand made valentines, all of it. I've heard that some people only celebrate when they have a significant other... Me? The first time I actually and a significant other on that day, I was a little out of sorts....how does this work?

No, I'm not trying to make any kind of statement. I really just love to celebrate the pretty things of Valentine's Day for what they are rather than for what Hallmark says they represent (with all due respect to Hallmark, without which there would be nothing for me to celebrate).

I'm not saying everyone has to celebrate Valentine's Day my way or anyone else's way, but as for me, I'm always here to spread the glittery cheer!

Chain of Fool (yes, I mean fool singular, as in one I met today)

I am not often rendered speechless. But this morning, as expected, watercooler talk at the office was centered around the Superbowl. Women, brace yourself. A female coworker says, "And what about the National Anthem? What WAS that? Who was that woman? Hideous.." I kid you not, ladies. She actually said "Who was that woman?"

I couldn't even talk for at least 2 minutes.

(Just in case anyone didn't know who sang the national anthem, it was only the Queen of Soul, herself, Aretha.)

Show some R-E-S-P-E-C-T.

Superbowl o' dip

We all know the types of Superbowl partiers: the ones who are there to watch the game, the ones who are there to socialize and all that falls in between. But whatever you're there for, who doesn't love the party dips?

Pass the spinach dip, please..

Couple-ditional Friendship

Definition: n. the state of being friendly toward another, but only asking them to do things socially if the other person is part of a "couple"

bebe me's opinion: Yawn. Let's mix it up a little, please.

Tribute to a Woman with a True Musician's Soul

The lovely lady who taught me violin from the age of about 9 -12 passed away this past week. She lived in TX, but would often travel to Colorado to visit her grandchildren who didn't know how to play violin. She would give them lessons anyway.

A woman who loved music so much that she had to share it with everyone...

It's time to step up

As a teenage violinist driven by lofty dreams and even loftier standards, I would show up at my lessons, frustrated by my technical weaknesses. My violin teacher (who could do no wrong) told me every time that frustration is an opportunity for improvement and to push myself to a higher place. I loved him even more for that. Life's most important lessons always come back. I was recently tres frustrated at work until I realized that I could turn it into an opportunity to step up and be a better leader.

The glass is always half full.

What makes a great shoe?

You're at a party, your feet are killing you, but you can't stand the thought of taking off your beautiful shoes and a drag queen introuduces himself to you because he's been lusting after your shoes all evening.... Now that's a great shoe.

bebe Me's current fave CDs

There's nothing like discovering a new CD. It's on at home (where you can sing and dance all you want with the hair brush..let's not lie, we all do it), in the car (where you can sing as much or as little as you want, depending on your level of self-conciousness), and at work (played very softly). Following are my 2 new favorites

• the Pussycat Dolls (PCD) -includes hits Don't cha, beep, and stickwitu but I love every song on this CD, including the burlesque style ones (they were burlesque dancers to begin with)
• Madonna's Confessions on a Dance Floor - I don't own this one, but a friend of mine has it and it is fantastic! Song after song of disco dancin'........ So what if every song sounds the same? Don't we sometimes wish for that anyway?

Even Better than the Flight

Airport travel just keeps getting better. I remember when we had to remember the actual paper plane ticket in order to get on the flight, in addition to a passport/ID. Now, with e-tickets and self check in, I just have to bring a major credit card and I.D. If I didn't check in any bags (ha ha), I could print out a boarding pass from home and go directly to the gate.

As far as stricter security measures, I have recently discovered the wonderful world of TSA approved locks. Plus, modern security procedures make taking off the bling and my shoes easy and quick. Restricting the gates to passengers only isn't actually a bad thing either because the extra time I save before I get to the gate allows more time to do my favorite airport activities (much more fun done alone):

• Walk around and spend money that I didn't need to spend
• Walk around and not spend money that I really do want to spend
• Sit in the waiting area and do some unintentional eavesdropping

I'm Dreaming of a.....

...bright, sunny Christmas.

Crazy? Not for me. I spent my earliest Christmases in Canada and Colorado where Christmases were white. I can't say that I miss it. I love a Christmas like today's in Houston, TX. I woke up to the sunlight streaming into the guest room where I was sleeping. We spent time outside without coats and boots and took pictures in the backyard with the neighbor's palm trees in the backdrop.

Picture perfect...

Happy Holidays!!

Every Girl Should....

I have a list of these things, but my latest one is this:

Every girl should get asked out by her high school crush 11 years later.

Especially if her high school crush was smart, cute, played football and violin and was always dating his perfect cheerleader girlfriend who was also smart, cute and played the violin (and was so genuinely nice that you couldn't hate her).

Sober Drunk

Recently, after a company holiday party, my female coworker was teased (until she started feeling a little insecure about it) for having a little too much wine. In my opinion, she acted no crazier than I did and I wasn't drinking. She helped me in a performance of Devil Goes Down to Georgia and afterwards, I tried to get everyone else to join in as I sang and danced like a rock star. She was the only one who followed my lead and we had a great time. But nobody was giving me a hard time. So I finally asked why everyone was making such a big deal about her and if anyone really thought she was acting any crazier than I was. The answer is apparently that everyone expects me to act like that. Sober. Hmmmmm.... Does that mean that I should be embarassed more often? I'd like to think that I'm just relaxed and uninhibited enough to have a good time and not feel I have to apologize for it and blame it on the alcohol afterward. I'm going to go with that answer.

My Old Friend

I miss running. I started running during my freshman year in college and it was the ultimate outlet for stress and negativity and a time to sort through my ideas. Plus, it made me feel good and discover for myself that "runner's high" is not a myth. Eventually, my knees gave in and I haven't really run since a 5K in 2002. Last week, it was below freezing and to keep warm when I had to go out into the warehouse at work, I decided to run laps around the 32,000 ft plus warehouse. It was sort of a joke at first and I got the expected giggles from the warehouse staff, but I didn't expect the nostalgia. Don't get me wrong, I love my workouts at the gym, but there's just something about running that can't compare. So I ran until I warmed up and until my knees reminded me of why I stopped.

It was a nice visit with an old friend.

Battle Scars of the Violinist

I haven't really played the violin for extensive periods of time for several years until last week. I put together a performance for a party last Saturday and spent 2-3 hours a night (nothing compared to what I used to put in), trying to get back in shape. Being away from that life for so long, I'd forgotten what pride I'd taken in the callouses on my finger tips and the "hickey" on my neck. They were literally a physical manifestation of my dedication to my art. Before anyone starts being impressed, I must say that I do NOT feel this way anymore. I prayed that my fingers would stay callous free as I cringed through the pain and every night, I stared at the ugly red mark on my neck in despair. Could this possibly be the same girl from years ago who loved her battle scars?

But when Saturday night rolled around, I realized that one thing remains the same. I still looooove to perform! Misshapen fingertips and ugly red marks be damned.