Viewpoints9-2 Reveal Day!

Gosh, I almost forgot to alert readers.  Viewpoints 9 Challenge 3 is being revealed right this moment.  In fact the third one…Kate Themel's was just posted.  Mine is in line.

The challenge was posed by Lisa-Marie: 9=Nein=NO.  (This year all of the challenges are about '9' and Lisa-Marie's was about 'NO.  You might enjoy reading her actual challenge.)

Here is my response.

Perhaps it's the contrarian side of me, but I couldn't help myself.  "NO" just naturally means "YES".

I recall that we were cautioned as teenagers, learning Japanese while living in Japan, that "Iei" (No) was impolite to say in business and formal situations.  I don't think it's as much of a taboo now, except in retail/business exchanges when it is still very impolite, but long ago and in a rural area it was stressed.

That suited me fine!  I tried to co-op the etiquette and extend it to American-English situations as well.

It is very interesting…and sometimes requires adroit mental gymnastics, to communicate 'no' without using the word.  Prime training for diplomacy that was required years later when I became a parent and, later still, during my career as a real estate broker.

Now, older, wiser and much more experienced, I see real value in not saying 'no'.  For instance, I try dyeing, or a new technique, or a new idea without success.  Perfect time for a 'yes!'  That situation simply set up a new dynamic….time to try something different.

I hope to build on negatives with a big, old, hearty, fist-pumping YES.

You really MUST read the other responses!  Besides the art work is GORGEOUS!

It Would Be Impolite to Say No (27"x27")

Viewpoints9 Reveal Day

This, Challenge #8, was a toughie for me.  Viewpoints9 member Lisa-Maire Sanders asked us to consider a preconception and depict it in landscape form.  Preconception!  Really!  Where does one begin?

In reality, I try NOT to have preconceptions.  I work at it.  Now, I was to actually think about preconceived ideas and their results...and be inspired.  Really?  Hmmm.

One of my earliest preconceived ideas that turned out to be very wrong occurred when I was five.  (I have a pretty good memory.  I remember also not liking to be wrong....even then)  My father was transferred from Andrews Air Force Base in the DC area to Carswell Air Force Base outside of Fort Worth, Texas, just after I finished kindergarden.

As we settled in, I remember thinking 1. it was really dry, 2. not many people lived there, 3. it was pretty flat and 4. there weren't many things growing there.  This, of course, is comparing a major metropolis to one that was not in those days.  There followed months without rain.

Then it rained!  Oh, my!  I was stunned with the tiny flowers that began to bloom on what had previously looked like pickled grass.  A stream formed at the bottom of our property where none had been when we moved in, and shortly, it was full of crawdads!  I was so surprised that I could have been so wrong.

Okay.  This is ancient history.  Kid stuff.  Except that I took away how wrong one can be.  My first memory of a preconception and how it might be good to avoid having them.

And Then It Rained! detail

And Then It Rained!