Muse: a woman, or a force personified as a woman, who is the source of inspiration for a creative artist; (in Roman and Greek mythology) one of nine goddesses, daughters of Zeus and Mnemosyne, who preside over the arts and sciences.

My grandmother Irene Anguiano....my muse, a saint, the bravest woman I know. The Rose Kennedy of our Anguiano clan. She has known more heartache in her 77 years then I will ever know in my life. My small hurts and disappointments and failures are nothing to those of hers-the loss of both parents at the same time, her two eldest sons-my father and uncle, two husbands-my grandfather, her husband of 39 years and her second husband, an equally good man, of only 6, two brothers and a father-in-law she helped nurse for the last 15 years or so of his life.

As artists, creators, discoverers, archivists of the human condition, we all have a muse whether we acknowledge it or not. Someone or some thing that spurs us on with quiet, unspoken grace, humility, wisdom, courage and love among other things. The muse encourages our best efforts to chronicle how we connect to one another; whether through solace, comfort, friendship, love, even pain, anger, frustration and sorrow.

My muse will possibly undergo open heart surgery on September 9, the birthday of her second son. 'Possibly' because the practice of medicine leaves many unanswered questions that will hopefully be resolved that day. She will first undergo a procedure to determine that there are no other clogged arteries elsewhere in her body and if there are she will be rescheduled for bypass surgery first. The possibility of a pacemaker lurks in the shadow, as do small percentages too painful to think about.

Though unwittingly I followed the muse's calling back to Dallas almost three years ago, I have never felt quite at home the way I do other places in the US or the world. (Granted I haven't been everywhere in the world or in the US but I'm confident in my level of comfort with the places I have come to love and consider for setting down for at least as much time as I have spent in Dallas.)

But the universe, the higher power many of us recognize as God and unseen forces have kept me here for longer than I might really want. And after learning about my muse today and the next challenge she will know, I understand why I am here. Its my turn to be a muse...to really inspire others to think those brave thoughts, to be the artists and creators they truly want to be and help them in a most tangible way to create, to express and to share their art.

What I love about my brand of muse is that even though I am here for the moment, I can still help others that want it, wherever they are in the world. That is what my muse has done for me my whole life...been the source of inspiration whether I was in DC or Dubai, California or Cyprus, Italy or Illinois.

I hope that as you determine who your muse is, think about what they or it brings to your creativity and embrace it. And if you haven't the exact know-how to make it happen, this muse is enthusiastically waiting to help you. All that's left to ask is....

What's next???

Selena

I missed last week's post....sometimes that happens. It is what it is. C'est la vie!

I had a conversation with an individual the other day about my work experience and this person expressed awe and appreciation for the career I have had, the places I have gone, the work I have successfully completed and the opportunities that lie ahead. More than that, they expressed amazement, not having been in a position involving creative people for long, at the lengths we will go to have this life: to produce creative things, to inspire others through our creativity, to encourage others through our work to interact with one another in exciting, innovative and more expressive ways then the general ways we do each day.

I told this person there is an X-Factor that guides are lives; that we creative catalysts can't really explain it, but that we cannot do without our creativity and that is what motivates us to do whatever it takes...that we are RESOLVED.

I keep using that word because I wanted to direct people's attention to DaVinci Resolve and the new lite version that is offered as a free download. #DavinciResolve is a non-linear editing and color correcting software. And to give a software like this away to folks is seriously saying something about the company's dedication to their creativity and inspiring the creativity of others. (Its also excellent marketing;)

I have friends that use this software as part of their own creative endeavors and I am motivated by what they produce to learn more about this product and overall to learn about every area of the arts and creative industries that I develop and represent. I am resolve'd! Are you??? If so...

What's next???

Selena