Rae Jones's Blog, page 2
May 11, 2014
When falling, sprout wings.
Oh how the mighty have fallen.
Oh how the match is sparked and watched to burn into ash.
Oh how the wings are beautiful on that big red bird.
Do not be afraid of an uncomfortable conversation, but have it with an open heart, and the big red bird will unfurl its wings. Do not be afraid to burn, for the fires will draw you into it’s red breast and take flight with your hand buried in the down.
May 4, 2014
When You Leave a Place
This is one of my very favorite things I have ever read. It was written by Ariel Gore in her book Atlas Of The Human Heart.
“When you leave a place, its best if it’s raining. Not pouring, but not just drizzling either. You want fat drops that fall on your cheeks like tears. it’s best if it’s early, too, the tail lights and porch lights and streetlights and station lights all begging you to stay just one more day.
When you leave a place, its best if you’re hungry. A girl should never travel on a full stomach. It’s best if you’re tired, too, still wrapped in the dreams of sleep, oblivious to gravity and the heaviness of your own body.
When you leave a place, it’s best to take as little as possible – ideally a single change of clothes, the jewelry on your body, the money in your pockets, memories safely stowed in your secure imagination. Never pack more than you can comfortably carry across the Himalayas on foot, because you never know where a road will take you. It’s best not to bring along anything you care about either. You’ll lose it, anyway. Give it away before you go.
And when you leave a place, it’s best not to cry. If everything is as it should be, the sky will do your crying for you.”
Goats are Awesome.
Goats absolutely fascinate me.
They can eat anything, their perseverance, hoofed mobility that finds them scaling unthinkable rocks,
and hanging out in trees.
I’m a goat-lady, a Capricorn to be exact. So, what comes with that is the intuitive drive for perspective and the sheer pleasure of an impossible job well done. I know I do many things in life that seem impossible, that looks a little weird, but goats look weird when they are precariously balanced on the side of a cliff,
and yet.. .they seem to always make the impossible journey to the top.
An insatiable appetite for growth and always reaching the impossible is ground into my DNA. I’m still working on the understanding, patience and balance which seem to be required to accomplish such a feat.
March 9, 2014
Why I self-publish(.?!)
There have been a lot of people who have asked lately why I self publish, rather than pursue a book deal with a traditional publisher. I think it comes down to a really great line from Pretty Woman,
“I say who, I say when, I say how much.”
Kit and Vivian were talking about getting a pimp, and this sentence ended that conversation. I feel this line could sum up how a lot of people in the working world feel. But, just like a hooker of the 90′s, the goings can get a little tough without a pimp.
This is significant as it applies to why I self-publish, most recently encapsulated in my interest to apply to the #AmtrakResidency program. This program is where a writer could stay in one of the Amtrak sleeper cars for 5 days and travel around on the rails to focus on their writing. This sounded EXCELLENT to me. I was totally in. Then I read their Terms and Conditions, specifically #6 …
6. Grant of Rights: In submitting an Application, Applicant hereby grants Sponsor the absolute, worldwide, and irrevocable right to use, modify, publish, publicly display, distribute, and copy Applicant’s Application, in whole or in part, for any purpose, including, but not limited to, advertising and marketing, and to sublicense such rights to any third parties.
Nope.
Not this girl.
“I say who, I say when, I say how much.”
It is a battle of the copyrights (I almost wrote copywrites … ), and it starts right now. I understand #AmtrakResidency was probably well-meaning and wanted to encourage writing on it’s tracks. I’m sure there are many writers who thought “I could write the next Great American Novel” while riding along the great history and scenery of the Rail. It’s perfect. But… contractual language that preys on writers? Meh… sounds more like a pimp to me, and …
“I say who, I say when, I say how much.”
My friend (and amazing author) Ramez Naam wrote a great blog piece called “We are all on the same side” about this topic (while under a book deadline). Amanda Hocking (the most successful self-publisher), just signed on with a traditional publishing house (only after she was making her own millions through self publishing).
“I say who, I say when, I say how much.” ??
This is the reason I self publish. My work belongs to me. Good bad or indifferent, I want to have the control to say who and when and how much. I want to be the sole person responsible for my own Manifest Destiny. I want to be able to be free to be myself, express my art AND take full credit for the decisions from the cover art to the editing. I get it, a check is nice. Someone taking care of the marketing is nice. Someone putting you on tour, buying the movie rights AND getting a check is SUPER nice. People helping you are nice. All of it is icing on the cake.
It’s the who, when and how much questions always come down to pimping. Money, business and now intellectual property (rather than just bodies).
I will self-publish. Until I own a publishing company, I will self publish. It will be the “Plan B Entertainment” for writers. I will keep control of my intellectual property just as I have kept control of my body. Plan B is a great idea the morning after, and sometimes when I’m writing, the morning after is the hardest part.
February 11, 2014
Suprise.
So, I’ve been quiet for a while, but I wanted to let everyone know the reason for this is… there is a(nother) book coming. It might see print by fall….
You are welcome.
December 14, 2013
There are times in life…..
There are times in your life where:
You just don’t feel good.
You wish for a Prince Charming or Princess Aurora,
And you get Malificent and King Farquaad.
You want Disneyland, and you the the “House of Horrors”.
But, you know what….
The good news is, it won’t last forever.
I’ve been dealing with some “health issues” (let’s leave it at that) lately. Real or imaged, stress induced or genetic, terminal or maybe it is just nothing at all. It really doesn’t matter. All of these thoughts, feelings and emotions have passed through the sails lately, and I’m ready to see land again. Even if the island is deserted.
The good news is, it won’t last forever. Nothing lasts forever.
I learned this by watching the monks. Watching a Tibetan monk spend days and days on end, in silence, with colored grains of sand. Speck by speck, building one of the most beautiful mandala’s I have ever seen. Each piece of color-dust was a thoughtful, intended decision. And…. with each speck, the mandala would change.
I 
learned by riding a stalking dragon. It was 8 seconds of pure chaos and madness, then silence and calm.
I learned: It won’t last forever.
Nothing lasts for ever.
These times in your life … do not last forever.
Small Business Saturday @ Spellbound Flowers
Reblogged from Spellbound Flowers :
Well hello friends and flower lovers!-
Now that we are officially a part of Portland's Small Business community I wanted to seize the spirit of Small Business Saturday and unleash a couple of offers.
First- I am offering 20% off any Floral Subscription signups between now and December 5th.
You can set your budget and choose weekly, bi-weekly or monthly and you can choose the style, classic, modern, bouquet, vase arrangement or the ever exciting *Floriographer's Choice*.Contact me and we will tailor an order to perfectly suit your needs.
Nearly 1 in 4 US Writers Has Self-Censored For Fear of Government Surveillance
Reblogged from Dispatches from the Underclass:
A recently released survey of American writers conducted by PEN America Center in October found that government surveillance is having a chilling effect on freedom of expression.
PEN surveyed over 500 US writers about the impact of NSA surveillance revelations on their work and found that self-censorship is rampant due to anxieties about being spied on. Those surveyed admitted to purposely steering clear of writing, speaking about and even researching certain topics.
June 27, 2013
Food help.
I need help.
Help to be accountable.
Because I need it. After growing up in the country, born and raised on farmland and cattle. Fresh meat, milk and veggies. Home baked bread and cherry pies. I have the next 30 days that I have to go without any wheat (not gluten – just wheat) or dairy (milk products).
It’s really no big deal.
But….. I want it.
More than that though… I have no idea what to eat. My friend Nicole helped me out though… she really saved the day when it came to suggesting an “alternative” to eating Mac & Cheese.
It SAVED. The DAY.
And it was so simple! So, that’s what I need, I need accountability, I need simple little reminders about the little things in life. We all need those simple reminders in life. The borders, boundaries and places where we are accountable. The acceptance, love and safety. The light. AND the sunblock.
The perfect food to eat (which contains to wheat or dairy).
So suggest some foods you like. If you see me, tell me your best experience. Even if it is just through Facebook, Twitter or LinkdIn.
xox
June 22, 2013
An open letter to Ernst & Young. Shame on you.
Today, my blog post will be a bit of a rant.
But one that I do not apologize for.
In 1963, the Equal Pay Act protects men and women who perform substantially equal work in the same establishment from sex-based wage discrimination.
In 1964, Title VII of the Civil Rights Act was enacted, which prohibits employment discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, or national origin.
In 1972, Title IV (A portion of the Education Amendments) stated that: “No person in the United States shall, on the basis of sex, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any education program or activity receiving federal financial assistance…”
And in 2009, President Obama signed the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act which amended the 1965 Title VII Civil Rights Act and re-enforced the right of equal pay for equal work.
Why do I bring all of this up?
Well, on June 14, 2013 the Puget Sound Business Journal published and included a paid advertising insert by Ernst & Young called “Entrepreneur of the Year”.
The qualifications of this award was as follows:
*Entrepreneurial spirit
*Financial performance
*Strategic direction
*Community/global impact
*Innovation
*Personal Integrity/Influence
The “categories” for awards were:
*Lifetime Achievement Award
*Business Services
*Consumer Products & Manufacturing
*Financial Services
*Food & Beverage
*Healthcare and Insurance
*Technology
There were 22 winners in total.
They were all men.
Not once did someone think “hmm…. this is curious, all the winners are middle-aged guys, and the Puget Sound is one of the most culturally diverse places in the US.”
or…
“hmmmm ….. there is not one woman who is celebrated as ‘the best’, even though Seattle is one of 10 top cities for Women-owned businesses”.
Shame. On. You.
Shame on you Ernst & Young.
Shame on you for not putting a little more thought energy and effort into celebrating the rich diversity which thrives in Seattle (and the surrounding areas). Shame on you for just celebrating the group of male ‘cronies’ without once considering that women are 50% of the population and own more than 10 million businesses around the country. Further, in the United States alone, women business owners employ more than 13 million people and are generating $1.9 trillion in sales. Not only that, women-led businesses are one of the fastest growing types of the small businesses—a rare bright spot in today’s sluggish economy, increasing nearly 60 percent since 1997. Lastly, according to the National Association of Women Business Owners’ (NAWBO) 2013 State of Women-Owned Businesses Survey, 2013 looks to be the “Year of the Female Entrepreneur,” with women business owners’ optimism at high levels (81 percent) on the opportunities that lie ahead.
Shame on you.
Shame on you Greg Beams (The Seattle Assurance Partner and Entrepreneur of the Year Program Director for Ernst & Young) for overseeing this flagrant foul. ESPECIALLY from a company whose tag line reads: “quality in everything we do”.
This is NOT quality.
Shame. On. You.
(I should also note here an “honorable mention” in the “Shame on you” category to the Puget Sound Business Journal for not looking at this and thinking “This could reflect poorly on our publication.” or “This isn’t the kind of public image we want to endorse of be a part of.”)
Shame on all of you.
In my very short lifetime, I have seen the glass ceilings break from Capitol Hill to the corporate boardroom and everywhere in between. My sister and I had parents who taught us that we could do anything. Encouraged us to take risks, and live our lives to the fullest. Both of my parents own their own businesses, treated each other as absolute equals (sharing both the bread-winning and house-hold chores) and have always encouraged us to value creativity and hard work. I know that my sister and I have carried these values into the workplace and into our lives. This instilled the confidence to pursue our dreams on our own terms.
I KNOW for a fact that there are thousands, if not hundreds of thousands, of families just like ours all over the world. Families which include, support and build dreams of millions of young girls.
Articles and “awards” like this do nothing to build confidence in young women who dream of starting or running their own business. Instead it just reinforces the patriarchal system which is an OLD and OUT OF DATE way of thinking and living.
These awards mean nothing. In fact, they do the opposite.
They just show a very large part of the population that Ernst & Young does not value the financial, creative, innovative and positive influence that women have had on this community through their businesses. They show that they are not willing to step out of the box of an old and outdated way of thinking, and look to the future.
And because of that, Shame. On. You.
