Pre-LTD Tour: Inspiring Agents of Change

Agent of Change: Lisa Krowinski | Sapling Press (Pgh)

The maiden voyage of OTV: Agents of Change begins with a recap of yesterday's studio tour of Sapling Press with Pittsburgh Craft Collective.

Read the complete story (with all my shaky-hand + low-light = blurry pics heaven) and an interview with Lisa at:
http://agentsofchangeotv.blogspot.com/2011/01/lisa-krowinski-sapling-press-pgh.html


Prelude to OTV LTD (Living The Dream) Tour
I have shared that I am road-tripping to kick-start my research and be completely inspired by those I interview across the NE (ref: T-minus 1 Day & Wanderlust posts). To be honest, I have been on that journey locally, out + about Pgh, for the past two weeks.

During the pre-game show for LTD Tour, I've met several amazing people who I will be adding to Agents of Change blog in the upcoming days... to give a sneak peek:

T Minus 1 Day: The Road Trip is On!

On The Vine nomadic tour is on!

Ref: Wanderlust. Starting on Tuesday, this goofy diamond shape will be my road-tripping path for the next 10 days. I'm so thrilled + excited; I would love for you to join me on this journey. I'm going to be blogging my trek daily with a series entitled "Living the Dream."

Bruised but Not Broken: on surving a beating by a bunch of Madwomen

Image from Sampsonia Way Magazine,
'Women Who Don't Bite their Tongues,' Jan 2011 issue, pg 28-29.

Last night was my first 'official' Madwomen in the Attic workshop... boy, did it put my ego in its place; knocking it on its (metaphorical) ass. Thankfully, my spirit, my passion and my vision have only been bruised, not broken.

Wanderlust: the time has come for a road trip!

The idea occurred to me about a week ago:

to kick-start my 'new career/life', I must road trip asap.

I thought it might be broken into several parts because I have started an excellent non-fiction writing workshop, Madwomen in the Attic (check the story in Sampsonia Way, last article), that will run weekly through May. However, my instructor, Nancy Kirkwood, emailed yesterday informing me that class will be canceled on Feb 3 as she attends a conference. Thus...

Wooo-hooo, my road trip is on!

Addendum: another body of research, advocating as a voice to 'Break the Spell'

Mardo Family: Steve (grandpa), Anne (grandma), David (uncle) & Judy (mom) -- Christmas, 1956.

I have always considered myself a better listener than speaker. Beginning as a small child, I enjoyed listening to stories -- real, personal stories in oral history form; rather than fairy-tales -- shared by my grandma. Because we visited three times per week for my first 15 years, I became quite competent in that listening skill as she exhibited a touch of 'undiagnosed' Alzheimer's in her later years. She would tell the same stories over and over and over to the point where I would often fill in the details of her own life experiences (to her amazement) whenever her memory lapsed for a moment mid-story:)

Little did I know that by refining that vital skill, I was preparing for a future as an advocacy writer; capturing 1st-hand, personal stories as my research to give causes voice.

On Metamorphisis: discovery of self, career/life passion, vision, village... (in that order)

Throughout my career, I felt an increasing need to do something more than simply impact a bottom line — something that I could be passionate about, something that empowered people, something that inspired change. In October, I hit another brick wall with my career/life pursuits, which sparked a re-evaluation out of necessity.

Long story short, I discovered that while I was in the correct arena as a creative professional, I was trying to force myself into the mold of the incorrect expression of it (as graphic designer) for 5+ years. Finally paying attention to the signals (though it took multiple head-on collisions with those brick walls for me to get the picture:), I took stock of my experiences and was able to identify my passion: giving voice to a cause; particularly one that empowers people and inspires change.

Balance Is Not a Fish You Can Catch

Balance is something we hear much about, particularly this time of year. Take a quick look at themes around the blogosphere and you'll find 'balance' often as either the main subject of a New Year's Resolution article or as an idea sprinkled throughout one. While there is certainly much ado about it, balance is a concept that is difficult to find, if not impossible to acquire.

Balance is particularly elusive in our culture. We place a high value on activity, have positive associations about it and make personal judgments from it. We make 'activity' an extreme -- the arch nemesis of balance.