Is it Art or Graffiti?

Two pieces of media for you today.  The first is Jon M., a fellow AU alumni, who wrote and sings the song “Beautiful Disaster.”  This is the theme song for me these days, full of unwanted turmoil and welcome change.  Listen to the song here. Jon McLaughlin – Beautiful Disaster(1)

There is a debate raging in  my house about an upcoming appointment of mine.  On the 17th, I have a certain part of my anatomy pierced as the land mark of the new novel; chill, people it is just a belly button.  I’m stoked.

But the next milestone for the Angellion series requires a little more commitment and hoots-pah from the family and me – it’s my first artistic tattoo celebrating the publication of “The Soul Thief.”  I have narrowed it down to two candidates.For your vote, there are showing here tattoo #1 and tattoo #2.  Help me choose by sending in a comment off the space below.  Who knows, I may put a voting poll up.

Now, there is an argument in all Christian circles that the tattoo is a defilement of the body, I realize.  Obviously, I don’t by into this theory after three and a half years of seminary, and the fact that the writing in #2 is the first part of the Shema.  If you don’t know the Shema, click the upcoming link for the video that I made for a grad project. It ends with the Shema.  Believe it or not, God isn’t quite the rule adherent crazy person that we think.  If we’d listened as a species to the Shema (The Shema), we’d have heard things like “wash your hands often” from the Levitical code, not just  a bunch of arbitrary rules.  If you and I read them in context you’d be like “Wow.  That is so damn smart.”  That is the divine for you.  So damn smart.

Tattoos are ancient – they even through they had them in the days of Moses and Joshua, the book of  Deuteronomy and the Greek myths of old.  We seem to think “ugh” in polite society about the tattoo, but I am here to tell you…in the hands of the right artist,tattoos can be the Pissaro, the Dega that you live with daily.  They are art in motion, something that endures.  It’s not like I am having a name tattooed on the back of my arm like a sophomoric simpleton. Slight apology out there to all of you with a name on your arm. 🙂

Okay, the next media file that you HAVE to hear “the life that you don’t live is lost…” comes to us from the Goo Goo Dolls.  Stay with me here, there is some form of continuity.  Listen to the music.  “Live like you mean it, love till you feel it, stand on the edge with me, hold back your fear with me, nothing is real till it’s gone…..” Goo Goo Dolls – Before It’s Too Late.

Okay, I admit to being a NASCAR buff that thinks the Karma Sutra rocks, even though I have a Master’s in Divinity.  Being confident within yourself and loving with all that you are…that is life.  God rocks, no matter what the straight laced quacks think. Have you noticed the outside, the incredible mountains that I hike, the waterfalls I haunt, the feel of the sand and the sea? God is all about beauty, love and the daring to really live with honor and compassion,most of all with real love.

Consider the art and vote with me.  I dare you to look at the two candidates and think “Graffiti.”  Weigh in and tell me what you think of the two designs, unbiased, even if it is to say “yuck.”  As always, your comments are secure and private, and just to me.  I rarely publish what you write, as you know.

Brave new world, tell me which you would prefer in that most secret of secrets.

Next week, we start Fitbie’s “How to Look Sexy Naked in Six Weeks.”  I sounded better than “How to kill yourself working out until you drop.”  Grab your yoga tapes, workout tops and your exercise bands, girls and guys.  I accept no excuses and take no prisoners.  Videos are on the way and we’re going to hit it hard.  It’s time for the new year to arrive somewhere in the universe, and we’re participating.  🙂

Love, love.

~ Alison