Next 3 1/2 days: no phone, no Facebook, no e-mails, no internet. Hello real life. That's all folks ..read more

It is only befitting of this new journey, that a new space is created. I have moved, in order to document this plunge I have so eagerly dreamt of these past couple of years. I hope you will follow: https://adultguidetoliving.blogspot.com ..read more

I seem to be writing here less and less. Honestly, like many of my hobbies and pursuits, I have a hard time being consistent. I postponed my "exit plan". Nonetheless, I have not changed my mind. I have, however, struggled with freeing myself from the golden handcuffs. All the words of wisdom and responsibility keep popping on my head... leaving a good paying job, health insurance, benefits... all while, feeling like I am becoming soulless and more and more anxious about the lifestyle I am leading. My therapist (whom I see on occasion for anxiety) has told me the "American Dream" can be a ..read more

This is it. My quit-the-rat-race date has been set. 8 months from now. I have a Plan A, B, C and D for what I will be doing to support myself, but almost all plans include one fundamental item: autonomy. Except for plan D. Because if it all fails, I can always get another job (Plan D). Considering that my original plan was to take a year off, the fact that I am now thinking about being my own boss is pretty amazing. This year has been especially hard on us. My hubby could have been seriously hurt in an accident and almost lost his job, we lost both our senior fur babies, we saw a c ..read more

Shushu, you left and with you a piece of my heart is gone. Words will never be able to describe everything you mean to me: my friend, my companion, my confidant, my soulmate. The purest most Unconditional love I have ever felt. You gave me the most amazing 16 years and for that, I will be forever grateful. I hope I will see you again, because the world is a little less colorful without your grumpy face in it. I love you forever dear friend. ?? Ana ..read more

It is 10am and South Florida's sun is scorching. I sit in my car waiting to go see a client and there is no desire, passion, good will... Only dread and the knowledge I will have to put on a fake smile and pretend I care. It was in this moment that I decided to put on my calendar a quit date. That's it. In 12-24 months I intend to quit my job. I have really know defined plan aside from the financial steps my husband and I set for our escape plan: pay off the mortgage, pay off his credit card, I want to have enough money saved  to cover 2 years of expenses. Everything else is a possibil ..read more

Wow, It seems that every time I now come back to this little corner of the world, a year has passed.  So much has happened in these past 9 months and if I am honest, most of it has been rather trying The most painful is the loss of our beautiful Danielle. Last year, she was diagnosed with congestive heart failure and it was a slow decline from there. She passed away in my arms while my husband and I rushed her to the ER... just 5 minutes from our house. That morning, I hugged and cried with her and gave her permission to leave this world. She waited for me to come home from work and ..read more

wow, has it really been almost 1 year since I posted here? Is time really that fleeting or is it an illusion of the senses? It has been an amazing, if not sometimes difficult, year. I have traveled, I have painted, I have doodled, I started ballet, I have dreamed. My husband and I are now much more focused on our 5 year plan. We really want to stop working, if not entirely, enough where we are not completely dependent on it. I guess I will write more about it another time. I think I missed this, missed this blog many times in my desire to find people who understand how out ..read more

Source: artmagazinesa Hello all, the blog will be going through some major overhaul and might be out of commission for about a month. As I continue on this path of self-discovery, this blog has become much more than a manifesto for art and introversion. The blog is becoming more of a manifesto for all who somehow realized they are a bit cooky, quirky or maybe just off-grid.  Special, unique, weird, quiet, sensitive, highly sensitive, artsy, creative, renaissance person, shy, and all who somehow don't fit into the mold, be it by orientation, religious beliefs, or the need to focus ..read more

I have some ideas of things I want to share with you in 2015. As this blog's focus changes, as my life changes, I want to share them with you. Many of you have touched my life in so many ways.... with kind words, with presence, and some with a deep spiritual connection, even though our physical bodies never met. But first, I wanted to share something else. Above are 4 original watercolors that I wanted to give to you. Leave a message and I will draw names next weekend on the 21st. Much love and enjoy your weekend ..read more