I haven’t tweeted yet…not on the schedule for this week either.

Your ear is to the ground Liza…on the pulse of America.

Jane-

Oddly enough, each day is worth chewing through the leather straps…once again.

Sometimes, it feels like my jaws have locked into some secret code.  When I wake I find that the little plastic template that they made for only my mouth is wearing quickly away. In fact, I will be going to the dreaded dentist tomorrow….in hopes that he can super duper dental glue my retainer. It broke over the weekend. Darn it! 

I feel your pain sistah!

xo Josie 

ahhhh my dear Frannie,

You are such a delight! I can relate to the next day and the next day and the next…. one day at a time. Hey, and a little flair…yes, I do that. And hopefully I can help reduce a little pain for myself and others.

Here’s to our warts and all!

Well Liz,

There are so many ways to go with this question. In the fantasy of choosing well known "celebrity" women (or men for those who don’t mind the toilet seat up), I would choose "golden girls" that could laugh at themselves and at life. Therefore, Ellen Degeneres would be right up there in the top running. From there, I think Lily Tomlin and Jane Wagner would be lots of fun. In the honor of the "Golden Girls", these women have the ability to laugh amidst the world of troubles. And get their hands dirty when they believe in a cause. All of that would make great kitchen talks and times. Oh, and I would be Sophia…not in age but demeanor.

Peggy- Big huge loads of love to you! You are one of the reasons I keep coming back for more of wowowow!

light and love

and armadillo hugs,

Josie

Laura-

Can you believe it, I’m just now seeing your response. I am well. My other posts tell more.

I am focusing on moving my studio from Orr St. to my basement. I wish Peggy had the "ask peggy" section still. I always read her weekly scopes and they are so often ON! My neighbor just got diagnosed with breast cancer today. She needs our prayers ok? Love ya girl!

Gorilla hugs,

Josie

My Kids,

Thank you dear one. The good thing is, today they have alot more information out for kids and in the 70’s it just wasn’t talked about. At least not in my school. My mother thought it was adorable how I would talk to anyone…any strangers. I sold artwork on the streets of Chicago at ages 5 -7 in the late 60’s and I wasn’t ever afraid to talk to the people about my art. LOL! I somehow have retained that childlike innocence in talking to new people and in my art style. That, I believe is God!

Frannie girl,

I just read through my response again and I think this topic just set me off running. I don’t want it to sound like I have no self esteem due to the things done to me. Not at all. You are so right about action. For a long time I would not show anyone my artwork…well, besides a handful of people who came to the house. For goodness sakes, I taught art to a wonderfully active group of kids on a daily basis (grades k-6). I could encourage my students to do the impossible and some of the art for our school performances was the impossible made possible. And yet, when the rape happened in 95 I shut down. I did some art but it was really just screaming on paper. That lasted for a few years.

I was finally introduced to fearless living in Boulder Co. and decided to throw caution to the wind and get my artwork out there. Since then, I’m still creating, still dreaming, still showing….AND, there are days (like we all have) when doubt flies in the window, reason and faith fly out and the great thinking machine begins. You know the one. AKA " the critic ". So, today I can notice the critic and still pull off the covers and get down to the basement to work. I’m losing my studio outside of the home due to finances, but I think it’s a good sign that I’m willing to dream about how to turn the basement into a workable space. It will not be an easy task but bit by bit and maybe a sump pump, it’s going to happen. So, maybe self esteem has something to do with the willingness to keep on keepin’ on. I won’t let those bastards from my past steal my dream!

I remember you telling me about your MOM about a year ago right here on wowowow. I know that I would have love love loved her! I think I’ve told you that before. Here’s to a year of cyber friendship!

Big Hugs,

Josie

Thank you for this topic Dr. Saban. I am a survivor of rape and childhood sexual abuse. I don’t think that there is some mysterious secret to self esteem. Many of us deal with feelings of unworthiness, hopelessness, depression and I have read many self help books that claim to have the "secret" answer. I think healing is as personal and individual as the abuse. I was raped by a presbyterian minister while working in a Mayan village in 1995. I’ve spent years thinking God had it out for me. I was sexually abused by my mother’s boyfriend from age 9 to age 18. You can only imagine what that many years of rape on a weekly basis can do to a mind. So, pardon me if I hesitate to believe in some miracle secret that will save my very damaged sense of self. I use art to work through anxiety and flashbacks which still plague me on a daily basis.

This is a good topic and I hope others come forward to the discussion.

Josie

Peggy- Good to see you on the main board.

Thank you!

Frannie,

I haven’t been on wow this much in a long time. It’s so good to see you. I’m with you on the 2012 thing. Why must we have fear about things that haven’t happened? Isn’t that like letting my thumb hurt before the hammer hits?

Hey Agy!

Good to see you and Diane. I am just so already stressed by things in my immediate world, the art world, the financial world, the health world, the pet world, the mental health world, the world at large…. ugh.

Everyone WASH YOUR HANDS! and keep a tidy soul!

Lucinda-

I’ve had some experience with dire illness. Too much for my liking lately. I am so sorry to hear about your experience with this right now. Please accept my apologies for taking it too lightly. However, when every news station is bludgeoning fear into the nation, I must ask myself…is this helpful? Is watching the news helpful to me and my circumstances?  And…how do fear hormones promote illness in our bodies? If we have a nation in an extreme state of fear, the virus won’t kill us nearly as fast as the fear. So, I see alot of media running in circles and screaming and shouting….and I ask you is it helpful? Maybe there are better options.