With the Magic of Photoshop and the realness of my paintings and drawings…there is so much more ink and paint just won’t do, that mixed media Does…. each of the pieces can be up to approx. 16×24 inches…….They will be mailed in a tube to the address you put in notes…..Go to the Front page of my website and you’ll see a DONATE button…… Each print is $100.00 USD  (depending on size you want)….MAKE SURE you use the ‘NOTE’ on Paypal to request a specific size…….. or message me at SuzenJueL@Gmail.com Before purchase with Name of piece you are interested in…….Names of Paintings Should Show…… all pieces are Original, done by yours truly!      Perhaps you know an art lover who would like to see these as well, so feel free to pass this along.  THANK YOU for your support……ALSO my site is back up http://www.etsy.com/shop/SuzenJueL?ref=pr_shop_more Much Love and Peace in your life and keep enjoying Art…thank you!  - Suzen

PS……this takes you directly to the Donate and Calendar page!  http://suzenjuel.com/

That’s only ONE of the things we like to discuss in Second Life. THe meeting was to be about EVENTS Listings etc….music, diff tracks on music….must not have been that important.  And Music…ONCE in awhile I get a nice advantage to be able to listen to different music from different countries around the world.  Although I must say it is Most difficult … considering the current MESS that Live Music Events is, there are so many categories in one file….hardly efficient… yet it is how I check out music…since I have no intention of following EVERY Musician I like, there aren’t enough groups for that NOR do I want the spam…SO I use live MUSIC events, that’s what it’s for!  There are also several MASSIVE groups out there, Independent Musicians and Live Music Enthusiasts, both have been around almost as long as Live Music has been around. I was there when Live Music Just started..back in 2005.  THere were about a half dozen or so of us at the time……  Now, to find a Live MUSICIAN..is almost impossible.   Sooooo I’ve heard the 14 yr old on Karoke, I’ve heard the bathroom singers, the happy singers, those that NEVER play in Real life, those that do both, those that think they can sound just like Celine Dion, those that do country, folk, blues, humor .. i’ve heard it ALL, I truly have…..and my ears favor that one instrument and that one voice, but I LOVE some of what i’ve heard w ith backing tracks…and DJ’S!!! I know a fantastic dj who plays guitar as well as tells us the story behind various songs and styles, he is  brilliant!!! ( Christopher Lung aka Chriscloud loon in SL )…..

…So about 6 years ago (i took one year off) I started Naked AcoustiC Sessions, which is a showcase for Original Musicians…a very relaxed atmosphere where a songwriter/musician can experiment with their new material, tell the audience the story behind it, share some insight….even some Question and Answer moments are embedded in the conversation and music.  Some musicians do a cover or two because of the importance to the song….as it represents the story at hand…..And lately I’ve been looking into other aspects of Naked Acoustic…Naked COmedy, Naked Poetry, Naked Art….etc….giving US the audience and insight into the Mind of these talented souls….

I do this for a few reasons….Because I LOVE THE ARTISTS that perform at Living Room #13 for the Naked AcoustiC Sessions, and I love the vibe, the good ‘juju’ they bring, the melting pot of fans flowing from one musicians to another, the community that happens…. I don’t have dance balls, I don’t have games or exploders, because Naked Acoustics isn’t about anything BUT the Musician…and that is it. It’s not about the venue (although the venue completely focuses on music and art) it’s not about what kind of clothes people wear, or how many prims they wanna lag around with them, it’s NOT about managers or hosts..it IS about the musician. In fact, managers and hosts are encouraged to ONLY shout the artist out ONCE in the beginnng and ONCE in the end….for an hour set…..it’s just respect for the chat and the ambience that the Living Room #13 has always prided itself in.   Forcing Midnight is your best viewing experience…. Living ROom #13 Many of the Musicians that perform at Living Room have approached me to perform there, and almost every musician has asked to come back! Each week, someone new is added to the rotation, and there are 30 min sets and one hour sets….Some weeks we have a Large number of Fantastic Performers and some weeks we have a minimum of 4….My favorite part is, exposing different artists, to other artists, and to attract new fans to each various artist that steps up on that stage. It goes well, the feedback is wonderful and I continue to look forward to sharing my passion in music with other music lovers!!!  You can peek at the updates and musicians on FacebOok  http://www.facebook.com/home.php?sk=group_189287457767333 The Naked AcoustiC Sessions updates on this page often!!!

If you would like to donate to my project, which requires a generous amount of donations for the production of my upcoming CD as well as the maintenance involved in keeping this site running, my stream, broadcasts, guitar maintenance and fees that come along with the stream rental and music update….You can do that on the EVENTS 2 Page…..This site is undergoing changes and soon the Donation button which is used for CD sales as well as art…and of course simply because of your support will be better located.

Again, word of mouth is free, and the more you tell people what you hear and like about my passions of music and art, the bigger the web we live in, gets….So thank you!!!!!!!

ART is here…and I will continue to add to it!

http://suzenjuel.com/organic-style-art-for-sale-100-usd-shipping-included-original-art/

I have been flying by the seat of my pants for the past few weeks just preparing for the House of Flames van to pull in my driveway…which it did, on Saturday! Along with several friends that I’ve met all through the awesome gift of music that we all share. Steve Kimmel, Steve Crooks and Robin Hill-Sheridan all showed up, along with Debe Wise, from House of Flames.

Debe was here about 5pm in the Giant House of Flames van, which certainly seemed to attract the neighbors attention, more than once I saw their faces pressed up against their windows. Debe came in and I introduced her to my nieces,  brother in law, husband etc….and of course, my little zoo of furry critters. Debe doesn’t like rats much…didn’t take long to discover this.  She had her camera in hand and started taking photos of my studio all the while telling me how very much it reminded her of the Virtual Living Room #13… we talked a lot, went through some of the things that’ll take place, on Jan. 25th when she does the live video cast…WHICH I am ONLY Beginning to get nervous about!!! I know it’ll be fine, I just stress more about  ’will the wide screen make me look um…wide?’….’what if my cat jumps up my leg and starts his little singing rampage he goes on from time to time?’….what if the internet crashes, what if we can’t all fit in my studio, who’s coming..what will we eat…will people in second life BE THERE? will anyone Watch? What if no one watches….what if no one shows up…..’ and the list…goes on   … and on….   and on…and I remind myself that 90% of what one worries about NEVER HAPPENS….that’s why meeting up with everyone on Saturday made this whole experience much more relaxing.   On Top of THIS normal stress…my voice is pretty much gone…another worry..this one being the 10% that DOES happen…the high top range of my voice sounds like a cracked up canadian goose…..I’m good and rhaspy with my original songs and hopefully won’t Crack or Wobble when I perform this evening….I already have my remedy in a hot steamy mug with lots of local natural honey in it, mmmmmmm.

House of Flames will be running the live media feed as well as Wirecast! This will be broadcast into the Virtual Living Room #13 … those in attendance at the Virtual LR #13 will be able to see the live Media Stream, which will  be broadcasting my live concert in my home studio…because This is How it Works, this is what I do, this is how I do it….and that’s what the point of Debe’s study is…Virtual Musicians in the real world….

You can read more here

A Study by Debe Wise (Flameheart SoL in SL) will be wrapping up it’s final phase at Living ROom #13.  I’ve been a part of this study for a couple years and it’s all about Musicians in SL using the web, and media and SL vs their real life….In my case, I’m a musician in both worlds…

Feel free to show up early, the entire show will be broadcast Live from my Home Studio in Minneapolis, into SL so Anyone, anywhere can watch….something I rarely do, and am truly looking forward to!

Debe Wise has a PHd at the University of Colorado and is finishing her 200 page dissertion to present…featuring virtual artists and their real lives……..

http://suzenjuel.com for more information on calendar etc…..

FOR THOSE Watching OUTSIDE of second life

Copy and paste this URL for Broadcast…check your time zones

Open a browser window and enter this url:

rtsp://video.slserver.com:8130/live.sdp

Deb took some video of Saturdays jam with the Steves… JueLink

I’m still in process of finishing my CD and also working on some unique styles of a few originals I’ve done, with Boris Van Luger, and again it’s turning out to be a really incredible trip through these large vast spaces, that bring our music into the same room…you can check out some of Boris Van Luger’s work on his YouTube page. Little projects like this, are always good for the soul of my inner muse and with so much going on right now, my inner muse is quite busy!

Living Room #13 has kicked off again for the 5th year of Naked Acoustic Sessions! I have a great line up for Jan. 26th and for all my Euro Fans, it starts EARLY in the day and the first musician is a french musician…one of the first to ever play at Living Room…One of my favorite things to do, when I have some moments to just transport around the grid…is check out who is new on the scene, and often go to hear some of the favorites that I rarely get a chance to hear!

Please join the links above and around this page and share with someone today! It’s going to be a VERY LONG day for this chica here, woke up Very Early… If you are not In Second Life it’s free to join…

Last but not least, check out Steve Parry one of those Soul SOothing songwriters that simply quiets my soul when I listen… I’m honored to know his music and his personality through small chats about music and will be working on some sketches for him once this week settles back to normal…I’ll keep you posted on this, and other little projects that come along and tickle my starving artist soul!  Speaking of Steve, he also recommended staring an art page, and WHY I haven’t is strange enough, usually I think of those things. So I did!!! JueL ToneS … Now I must go forth and stir the soul inside, play with the kittens, create some food and stay relaxed If you see me wandering around with a starry look in my eye…feel free to startle me out of it!!!

ONE LAST THING!!!

1000 Avatars! Do check out Gracie’s place in SL and her 1000 avatars! I was thrilled to have been asked to be a part and spent a couple hours at her place several weeks back while she took photos of several people around me…when it came my time, I did what I’m best known for from  back in the day…Naked Musician Style!!!

Counting down to 2011

2010. WOW….What a year! Especially when it comes to how Social Networks have linked almost every single era and phase of my life, into one big Glorious Web!  In 2010 I have lost friends, and I have gained new ones…I’ve re discovered friendships that have lost their way through time…and all those crazy things that happen in our 20′s…that we missssssssss so badly as we get older. Friends that have come and gone like a fine thread, through our entire life…and then some.  I’ve learned to laugh more, even when I’m angry,  and I’ve found that Doing things a little different, OFTEN, can create new beauty in my life.  My Music has folded in and out of 2010, often finding myself struggling to write, or being induced with so much creativity that I’m not sure where to even disperse it all. In 2011  . I look forward to MORE, and I look forward to fine tuning the things, I may have lost focus of, because of my intense focus on other things….that have taken a priority in my life. Finish it, and move to the next task…often doing several tasks at once, and just taking LONGER to finish….may as well Tackle things head on.

I have been doing Only music and art for the entire duration of 2010 and have gained a broad perspective and insight on my own direction.  Sometimes I think we are never really FOUND, but lost our entire lives….always finding what suits us, for that precise moment in our life.  I’ve gained a new Grand daughter and rekindled the warm spirit of those, most precious to me. I’ve welcomed diversity, change, challenges and road blocks…because I am CERTAIN they are there for a reason. I have the  belief that Everything Happens for a damn good reason…even if we don’t always know what it is, right then and there.

I feel good about the past year. I feel good with the choices I’ve made and I don’t feel any uneasiness with the choices I’ve made, I feel stronger for having made them. Some were pretty DAMN TOUGH lemme tell ya!!! haaaa

In the new year…I wish all of you Dear Readers, plenty of laughter, warm love, new memories, the courage to move forward in your life and take your passions by the hair…Tame them, Let them Run Wild, Name them, love them!!!

I don’t have much else to say….except I know that 2011 is going to bring Bigger Challenges and rewards!!! Some wonderful collaborations with some of the most amazing musicians I know, are in their fragile yet Wonderfully delicious beginning stages. A Filming at my house in Feb. with the University of Colorado study..Life is Art…My new CD should be finished before or by March….and more…..

Anyone  make any New Resolutions..or ones you’ve already started?

NURTURE your soul, your garden and your spirit!

-Suzen JueL

I was thinking…well, more like dreading Halloween, it’s really not one of my favorite times of the year and I’m just not into sitting at my front door for 4 hours and handing out candy, to kids who just say ‘trick or treat’…the last time I participated in such festivities, I found myself demanding the kids to DO SOMETHING, and to my surprise, they sang, or danced, or told little kid jokes….but on the other side of things…I was thinking…what are some of the scariest, or most bizarre, disturbing situations you’ve ever experienced…or more like, have I?  The kind of scary where your heart turns to ice and starts shaking rapidly in your chest. THe kind of fear that makes you break out in a cold sweat and almost feel as if you are frozen, like someone just put you on pause.

As a child, I do remember feeling instant fear, whenever my mother would ask me to go into the basement, to get a jar of pickles, or green beans. We had an old school house that was made into a home…thanks to my grandpa and his handy skills…between he and my dad, we had a pretty cool pad. The kitchen, had a door, that led out into a closed in patio…full with giant cubby hole, a slight inner deck with a half wall around it. Then the stairs…cement stairs, several of them down, before you turned left and walked a ways to the front door of the house…or, to the basement….about 12 more cement steps down to an old french glass door with a big gloomily dull knob.  I could feel my stomach feeling like someone just tossed ice inside me, and I would instantly have the urge to have to go to the barthroom, because my stomach was nervous and swirling like a squeeky rat on a wheel, running fast and going nowhere. I put my hand on the knob, turned it…breathing shallow now…and then, count 5 steps in complete blackness, hand extended, to find the string, to pull the string, so I could have light.  By now I’m a mess, I can hardly stand it, I grab the pickles and run like a kitten from the giant dog…(that’s very fast by the way)…and that’s it…that was plenty adventure for me in one day.  Other things scared me a child…real things, like death, and seeing people, that were dead…that freaked me out. I saw it once…I don’t think I’ll be all too excited to see another…I hope everyone gets cremated, that way I’ll never have to look at what was once a beautiful animated being….suddenly inanimate, lifeless. What is the point? They’re already gone.

Ghosts didn’t scare me as a kid…I remember having my first encounter with one at a young age, either that or I was simply disturbed with hallucinations….weird part about it, was the ghost looked just like my mother, who was sound asleep in the other room down the hall…I remember because I ran like HELL out of that room to see if my mom was there! She was. She must have thought ‘dear god what have i gotten into with this child!’….

So, a peek at my kind of scary…Halloween just isn’t one of them…and THAT’S OK!!! There’s enough fear in peoples lives eh? Night of the Dead, would mean to me, some peace and quiet.

Lights Out here!

In all my years as a Musician, from pulling in a great income, to falling apart at the seams of my guitar strings…I’m beginning to see, at the point I am in my life…that the Virtual Gigs are a BONUS as far as earning at least half of what you’re worth, if that. However, at the point I’m at in my physical world, the one that surrounds my back yard, alleys and local flavors, I am again…..working on my new Emerging from the ashes of taking over a decade off…..to raise a family…so to say.

So in the past few weeks, I’ve done several local, live shows…in St. Paul and Minneapolis, for virtually nothing.  I’ve cancelled Virtual Online shows, in order to take the exposure to the local scene. I’ve been paid a total of $17.00. Yeah…for over 3 hours of performing!!! Maybe because I’m ‘again…new’….perhaps because I am solo, and no longer use a band (too much of a pain in the ass, to worry about anyone, other than myself)….So in my Studio, I sit in my Pajamas, guitar in hand, a cold drink on my desk…perhaps a burning cigarette (if it’s autumn)…and a Muse that tends to never sleep for days, or sleep for too many days, leaving me feeling useless, when I can’t produce new images, be it Paint or Lyrical Grooves……

I’ve learned….being Virtual, for one, gives you a global warming effect…meaning, people from anywhere in the world, on this great planet, can listen, anytime I perform, you just have to tune in. Simple as that, right?   However, the local scene in the Twin Cities (Minnesota) is High on the list of arts and creativity, meaning a LARGE POOL of musicians, competing for your undivided attention……. Playing at a BAR, is a nightmare for a solo acoustic songwriter/performer….why? Well, lets start with Being the the FIRST one up….warming the audience for some 13 piece band….Got to be able to hold our own, in this case.  And….then there is the Noise factor. … Performing in a Bar is noisy. People want to RELATE to the songs, therefore, you are in the groove of Covers now…new to me, but thankfully I have a strong list of covers at this point in my life…..But…be it a cafe, or wine bar, or intimate venue…..people REALLY listen, and that is what my soul is about. LYRICS! WORDS. Emotions. FEELING!

http://www.aliciamorgan.com/a-day.html An article called “A Day Without Music”……good read

In Second Life, the virtual world and economy…basically it’s not a lot different, however, you are now exposing yourself to people from all around this Wonderful Planet, hearing the many terms, lingo, and reading the emotions of your audience. The Virtual world, is my strongest support in music, in the purchasing of my  music And/Or art……however….you bring your own beverages, your own chair…..yet, all from the comfort of wherever you may already be. You don’t have to drive in a storm, or fly 3000 miles to hear your favorite indie artist, you just have to plug in to their stream and BINGO……great quality (depending on the performers set up of course…and what your ears desire) just like in our physical world….it can take a bit, to find the one that Grooves your soul, in what it is, your soul desires…be it Rock, Blues, Folk, Americana….etc…they’re all there….even Karoke Singers…yep……true!

I … by no means make a living in Second Life, but I certainly do better, than driving 60 miles to a gig I don’t get paid for (just for the exposure..which is often amazing!) But now I have the burden of advertising for them, bringing in MY People…which of course, are not in the local scene much, but more Online listeners…who can watch the 3D show…live and virtual…..It’s what I call GLOBAL OUTRREACH.

A friend of mine wrote a FANTASTIC article on the Musicians in this world. Imagine the world without Music…yeah…yet, no one really wants to PAY for it, but they certainly like to listen!  There is no cover charge for the virtual performances, but the venues, can pay a fee from ‘Tips only’….to$300 In USD, depending on the venue. Sadly, the 300.00 Per Hour gigs (USD) are far and few between.

What I want out of this? Your word of mouth. You like it? You Show up? You Tune in? Then buy the music. Promote it…if it only be Once…..it’s fine…that’s all we ask.  What we don’t want? A lot of people that never support the music, but just show up, because perhaps you’re the only LIVE MUSICIAN they want to hear…perhaps because they can hear Karoke on the radio, but can they hear YOU on the radio? not often….yes sometimes! I have several songs on great radio stations around the globe…..and YES it’s amazing, because it’s exposure on a whole different, real life based audience.   My virtual supporters are my  best and strongest supporters. Ironic as it is…several of my fans….who aren’t in second life, have joined….for the experience. Many can’t deal with the complexity of Second life…..and many who take it in easy strides, Learn to Love the connections being made, in the creative world…and Second Life isn’t the ONLY one, there are many more!

A word of caution………It’s easier to use 3rd party viewers when Joining Second life. Snowglobe, Imprudence, Phoenix..you can find these by going to the http://www.secondlife.com website and searching for approved 3rd party viewers. Second Life is not known to be user friendly, it’s a real World Economy on a global scale…You can earn money, find jobs, go to art shows…and of course ANYTHING ELSE you can do in your real Life, you can do in Second Life, and I mean ANYTHING, not to mention, for those challenged in the real world…..it’s very different in the virtual world. Example…you can fly, walk, run, change your appearance (if you so choose) and basically live out a life, that perhaps you can’t, in your physical world. There are support groups for everything under the sun, charity, art discussions…..great ART DISCUSSIONS, songwriting showcases, information, knowledge….once you learn how to be ‘again’…learning to walk, talk, listen to music etc…..is a process in Second Life, but ask anyone who’s been there a month….it doesn’t take long to learn….just small doses of learning and BINGO you are global.

Word of Caution. If you are a musician trying to make a FULL INCOME out of Second LIfe….think again. The world takes time…it takes time to build your audience…just like in Real LIfe…..the connections are fantastic and much good can come out of it. But, like some of the past musicians in SL..they actually EXPECTED to make a full living…well sorry Happy Campers, it doesn’t work that way.  Some….claim..they can…if they have no real life gigs, and no real life commitments, and can lay down 15 hours or more of music a week……they MIGHT be able to pull in a comfortable income, meaning, the bills get paid. However if you are living in your moms basement and have no bills and no responsibilities, you can put a nice little stash of $$$ away, as long as you are ROCKIN’ and pulling in the TIps and paid gigs, and of course if the venue is actually willing to give you, what you as a performer deserve…..good luck on that!

I am a pioneer in the virtual world. I’ve been there since before the Live music scene started and after almost 6 yrs. I have gained a loyal and wonderful global following. What i WANT to work on, is my local scene……but i live a nice long way, from where THAT is happening….So i’m somewhat limited…but not OUT of the Loop….it just takes planning to drive an hour or so or more, to a show, that I MIGHT make enough for gas money out of…..WHAT is MORE important…is my fans…that’s #1 to me…YOU are.

Now that I vented…and explained and garbled and mused…….You can decide the rest. Expose yourself to it…see what you think. It’s NOT a game, it’s a virtual world, with a Real Life Economy….do some research, check it out, read about it, look it up, ask others….give it more than an hour….seriously…..get the help you need to get started and just like in your real life….Teach yourself well, find good teachers. Remember, Games have easy directions…>Real Life< does not. It’s all a bout What you can experience and what you learn from it.

I’ve noticed … that as usual, I tend to forget to MAINTAIN my blog. So today, this was on my mind.

In other news…I’ve been playing A LOT in both worlds, networking..because i HAVE to. How would people hear my music, if I never shared it with you?  My art is doing well and my music is truly coming into it’s own ‘artistic’ realm of love and inspiration…getting some GREaT Exposure!

For those of you that Keep Up with me on Facebook and Twitter, Etsy.com, Reverbnation…well you know!!!

TAKE CARE of YOur Soul!

Then it was time to sound check….and there was a small film crew there, to film some of my set, so I signed some papers and they recorded me for the first 30 min. and then they cleared out to go to their next job. I performed for about 45 minutes, lots of originals, lots of covers..the crowd was fantastic, the beer was delicious and the laughter and conversation afterwards was impactful, SO MANY musicians were there to hear the rest of the line up, which by the way was also Fantastic!!!   After finishing, I strolled around talking to people. A man approached me about coming to try out for his Souther Gospel/Rock N Roll blues style Revival and many others gave me their cards for their music, websites etc…..then as I’m outside, chatting…I hear ‘Suzen’…and there is another former room mate…Ironically, from about the same time period that Eli and Joel and I knew each other…Another SUPER HUG that I just couldn’t End….again 16 years come at me like a Freight Train and Lew and I caught up half the night over laughs, a wonderful cigar and great conversation. It was a fantastic night…..I can understand running into old favorite friends from time to time….but this was a handful of love in my soul, although perhaps it’s the fond memories that accompany great souls in life!

There were many people who I’ve become acquainted with through Facebook as well!!! Francis a wonderful folk musician with a smile to die for! Steve Crooks a Voilin/Fiddle Player with a warm spirit that shone thru….I had perfect opportunity all night to hear the Music and talk with every single person I could recognize and the many I had met for the first time. Returned home with a bag full of business cards, which of course reminds me……GET YOUR CARDS DONE AGAIN SUZEN!!!!!!

I hope you all had a Super Weekend! And I want to thank everyone again for such Super Hospitality, you Know who you are I had the time of my life…and as i Tossed out on facebook..IF THIS WAS MY WORST NIGHT EVER…boy am I in for a Damn Sweet ride….!!!!

In other aspects of life…Indian Summer is upon us here in Minnesota. My tomato’s are pretty much dropping off the vines and so tasty, sweet and red! I hope to make my last batch of Jesus Tomato Sauce this coming week…and of course I’m doing a number of shows in the next couple weeks, that any one can tune into at any time!  on OCT. 1st I will be first in line for DEMO at the St. Paul Eagles Club with more great musicians!!! THANK YOU ST. PAUL for a FOLK A LISH US Scene with MUSIC! I’ll be starting at 7:30PM … get there early and plan on sticking around. I would love to chat with you a bit and share some of my folky grooves, some emotionally charged blues and my stage fright!!! It’s worth seeing eh?

Artist GirL

Ya know…I Never understood it, but when Autumn nears, my sensory world escalates to what some would call an acid trip. Everything is brighter and bolder, the wind doesn’t just blow, it actually whispers things…birds don’t Just Fly, they’re preparing for the transition just like most everyone, in some way is.  It’s CRAZY that a large number of people I know, have all gone thru the ‘seasons change’…those with mood disorders are certainly more prone to this, than anyone else I know. I know 4 people, that all in the same 2 week period, that all went back into some rare habit…my ‘recovering’ friends…most have relapsed…and most, do it ABout This Time of the year…..those who quit smoking, start again, for a brief encounter…Hoping it passes SOON for them all…including my own personal struggles with this time of year.

It’s Euphoric when the sun shines at a different angle and the wind blows from a different direction. Everything feels like a beautiful sunburn on the world…the colors get deep and brilliant on the trees, the reds and golds are so astounding, the light scent of earths decay blows thru the screen windows…and no matter HOW many times I’ve seen seasons change, fall Always has the Strongest Impact on my senses!!! My paint brush finds it’s own way to stroke the paper, words find odd places inside phrases running through my head, I’m more accident prone, I’m more distracted, and I’m far more aware of it all, then any other time of the year.

I used to run a support group, many years ago, for those that have been touched with Bipolar, because of the Wicked Beautiful way it works. I remember Every Spring and Every Fall, the massive and obvious changes that took place. Creative souls  are blessed with many gifts, however, the cost of those gifts is steep and the moods that ‘can’ accompany them are sometimes frightening for those who lack the Knowledge of how it all works…it’s different for everyone. To this day I am astounded at the ignorance that surrounds such a ‘disorder’ as some call it…to most of us, it’s a perfect order of thought that gets seriously paved into paper, to words, to music….it’s one of the most glorious things..it’s Built in Therapy! God Knows when our minds are on a journey to do nothing but create, we need all the therapy we can get!!!  I’ve learned..over and over again…many of what ‘others’ might call ‘disorders’ are perfectly organized, because it IS how we see the world.   .  I once wrote…. Just because You see the sky as blue, doesn’t mean I don’t see it red…. it’s the SAME SKY!!! it’s ok that different people see it as a diff. color…it’s just perception. Without the ‘creative souls and the madness of the muse’ you can count on the fact that many coffee shops would be empty of art, radio stations would have less music, the world would still  be flat …. Look at what the “Creative Madness’ has done for the world!!! The greatest writers, artists, mathmaticians and thinkers of our time, were all touched with that Certain Kind of Madness….such a relief to k now…we’re not the ONLY ones who feel crazy..it’s simply because the majority of people see the blue sky….some of us still see it red…no one needs to convince anyone .. differently, but it’s a wonder to see the world through anothers eyes….

Now I have no idea where I was going with this, except I feel compelled, at this time of the year to bring up the ‘order of my thought’….it always puts things into perspective for someone, if not just myself.

You very likely know someone going thru some Head Over Tail Headspin….it’s actually amazing if you get to be a part of it, however it can be pretty bizarre to, if you don’t know what to expect…but the VERY THING you feel compelled to do, is often your built in therapy. I always feel compelled to draw, or create music….if I don’t do this, I will surely have let some part of my soul wither off…and that’s just not going to happen!! Every opportunity to create, has to be taken….it just does. Even if it’s indulging the muse for 5 minutes, when you FEEL her knocking, it means she’s got something for you to present to the world!

]]> http://suzenjuel.com/2010/09/11/the-muse-of-transition/feed/ 2 http://suzenjuel.com/2010/08/18/art-for-grabs/ http://suzenjuel.com/2010/08/18/art-for-grabs/#comments Wed, 18 Aug 2010 15:33:42 +0000 Suzen JueL http://suzenjuel.com/?p=739

I’ve been working on a lot of various art. Here are 16 pieces that I am only selling as 81/2 x 11 inch art. All of these are 75$, plus shipping, which varies depending on your location.  USA Residents, can expect $12 shipping fee. If you are outside the USA, shipping will be $20.  All art will be put into bubble wrap envelopes and shipped every Friday.  If you are interested in larger sizes, each of these pieces is originally 16×24 inches. Please email suzenjuel@gmail.com for payment instructions, or for any personal requests you may have on larger sizes, or any other requests.

If you like what you see, please share it with a friend and/or other art lovers.

All pieces are original and only prints will be sold.  If you are interested in an original, again…email me at suzenjuel@gmail.com for payment instructions.

Thank you for allowing me to share this with you!

A few weeks ago, I decided I would check out some live music, in Second Life. I don’t get to do that often enough and thought I’d go listen to a performer that I hadn’t heard in quite some time. As I entered the place (name of venue, performer and others have been removed for obvious reasons)…a particular avatar said ‘Hi JueL’..as did quite a few others, as I’m far from a noob, in Second Life…

I listend to the performer on stage, someone I’ve known for quite some time, and who has come such a long way in their performance, especially when it comes to acoustic guitar.

I was completely into the groove, as usual. Then the ‘particular avatar’ that said Hi, said ‘JUEL YOU AIN”T NO ANGEL” and I almost laughed out loud. I decided not to acknowledge the comment, because I simply had no idea where it came from. There was no ‘build up’ to the comment, they just continued to say it and I continued to ignore it. Obviously they needed some attention, but it wasn’t going to be from me. Eventually I left, after the performer on stage said (again completely out of the blue) ‘SOME PEOPLE, don’t know my friend ____… he writes my music for me on my backing tracks.

BINGO.

Why would anyone take time, at their friends performance, to harass another performer, because of their originality, or because they openly raise awareness for benefits, fundraisers and such.

So to you unamed souls out there….I pity you. I have always loved a certain handful of musician and performers, artists etc…but when you harass your audience for no reason, other than you are upset because they do something you don’t…it just shows the shallowness. Changing your avatar because you…well, don’t make friends so easy..due to the fact you find it  more fun to harass…is sad…and people that support those that do these things…it’s ok, I feel really good without that in my life.

There are a small handful of people that find it more fun to draw the negative attention, public attention to themselves, rather than enjoy their experience in SL.

It’s best not to let people like that, ruin your SL experience.

I’m not into drama, which is why I don’t respond to negative comments. I don’t have the energy to get into a WHY DID YOU SAY THAT TO ME conversation…I outgrew that a long time ago. I came to hear music and that’s what I did. Most times I don’t even see the chat. I had left the computer to grab a bite to eat…and happened to see this particular boy, flapping his words around instead of listening to his ‘friend’.

I heard someone once say  ”We tend to let that one negative experience, get to us…and forget all those who love us’

TRUE!!! It’s a bit of our human nature. So instead I thought of all the things I love, all the friends who make me smile, all the moments that are unforgettable in life and before you know it, I have a big grin on my face.

I remind myself, that ONE persons perspective of me, is certainly just that. One. I remind myself that for everyone one person that is feeling challenged, simply because of their own insecurities…is certainly no way for me to judge my path, and there are 10 others who support what I do, because it resonates for them.

One lesson I’ve learned…never try to be like someone else. I learned that when I was very very young. I’ve let it guide my whole life. I’m not jelous of any musician, song writer, artist…I am in awe of them, they move my spirit, they inspire, but they do not dictate who I am, they do not define what I do. They are not ‘competitors’ to me, I do not find myself challenged to be better than someone. I find myself challenged to exceed what I expect of myself, and that is peace to me. I find it my mission to find the best words to describe the pictures in my head….and well, if one little avatar (or the coward behind it) doesn’t like it, and finds it their life mission to copy and paste conversations, or to draw negative attention to themselves….I guess I look at them as the Monkey in the cage….slinging poo because they just simply have nothing else to focus on, but the actions of others.

And now that I’ve put it on paper, and into words…it’s been eliminated from me….like any toxin…it simply turns to waste, and if you’re wise, you know exactly what to do with waste. When life gives you lemonade, you make lemons. When life gives you ‘chit’, you plant a garden.