Tuesday, August 31, 2010

What happened to Goat Mountain Arts?

Nothing, really, it's still there. You can click on the icon to the right and away you'll go. That being said, over time, I think I will move it under the Ananda Tree. I'm not certain if I want to keep making soap, but I AM certain I want to make other things.

So what I will more then likely do is continue to make small batches but less variety. And no worries, Mermaid and Tranquil Sleep will be among them.

I've been making soap a long time and I'd like to branch out a bit with Ananda Tree (apologies for the pun). I also wanted something that would represent my new direction and approach to life and people in general.

I've always been a very 'if you don't like my peaches, dontcha shake my tree' person and I'd like to be able to dwell in a place where tree shakers don't ire me, much less register. Ananda Tree is a daily reminder of that goal, joy, compassion, even if some continue to baffle me with their tree shaking insistence.

My mantra? "No drama, no drama..." because there is enough accidental drama along the way to stumble on, I don't want to piffle with the manufactured.

If you are worries that a fav soap will be discontinued shoot me an email at goatmountainarts!@aol.com and we'll chat.

Monday, August 30, 2010

Tuesday's Fable Aesop

The Bear and the Two Travelers 


Two men were traveling together, when a Bear suddenly met them on
their path. One of them climbed up quickly into a tree and
concealed himself in the branches. The other, seeing that he
must be attacked, fell flat on the ground, and when the Bear came
up and felt him with his snout, and smelt him all over, he held
his breath, and feigned the appearance of death as much as he
could.

The Bear soon left him, for it is said he will not touch

a dead body. When he was quite gone, the other Traveler
descended from the tree, and jocularly inquired of his friend
what it was the Bear had whispered in his ear. "He gave me this
advice," his companion replied. "Never travel with a friend who
deserts you at the approach of danger."


Misfortune tests the sincerity of friends.

Wednesday, August 25, 2010

Rainbows, Unicorns and a Big Ass Sword


I don't mean to alarm anyone, but I'm actually feeling a little optimistic today.

ps. Who knew She-Ra was so complex?

Tuesday, August 24, 2010

Tuesdays Fable by Aesop

The Eagle, the Cat, and the Wild Sow


An Eagle made her nest at the top of a lofty oak; a Cat, having
found a convenient hole, moved into the middle of the trunk; and
a Wild Sow, with her young, took shelter in a hollow at its foot.
The Cat cunningly resolved to destroy this chance-made colony.

To carry out her design, she climbed to the nest of the Eagle,
and said, "Destruction is preparing for you, and for me too,
unfortunately. The Wild Sow, whom you see daily digging up the
earth, wishes to uproot the oak, so she may on its fall seize our
families as food for her young."

Having thus frightened the Eagle out of her senses, she crept down to
the cave of the Sow, and said, "Your children are in great danger; for as
soon as you go out with your litter to find food, the Eagle is prepared to
pounce upon one of your little pigs."

Having instilled these fears into the Sow, she went and pretended to hide
herself in the hollow of the tree. When night came she went forth with silent
foot and obtained food for herself and her kittens, but feigning
to be afraid, she kept a lookout all through the day.

Meanwhile,the Eagle, full of fear of the Sow, sat still on the branches,
and the Sow, terrified by the Eagle, did not dare to go out from
her cave.

And thus they both, along with their families,
perished from hunger, and afforded ample provision for the Cat
and her kittens.

The moral being Gossips Are to Be Seen and Not Heard.

Monday, August 23, 2010

Well, I got a lot done...

Wow, being offline for a week sucked. The first couple days was ok, kinda refreshing. Although I kept walking upstairs to check out my email.

Day three was annoying. Day three was when I first went to the library to use the computers there. They have 30 and 60 minutes PC's. The chairs, I'm not kidding, must be about a foot off the ground.

I figured I could bring my E Book (a data stick precursor) and at least get some work done. I seemed to always get stuck between a tween wearing headphones that failed to block any of the 'music' he was listening to and this one guy, this realllly old guy who breathed really loud.

SO it was like trying to work sitting next to Darth Vader. And the more I thought about Darth Vader the more I kept picturing him you know, walking in and checking out some books. Maybe being embarrassed because he has late fees.

How audio books would more then likely be out of the question. As for me, I work listening to them. I prefer murder mystery and horror so it's kind of a funny juxtaposition creating these super cute whatevers while listening to them.

Maybe it keeps the cute from overwhelming and corrupting me. I'm all about being positive and stuff, but I do have limits. I'm currently working through all the Kellerman and Koontz. I like the Kellerman that feature Alex whatshisname. I've only made it through one Koontz, gave up on another.

Also had to draw the line at the book where the plot revolves around child assassins, a Scottish Lord and an artist. My all time fav, still, is The Haunting of Hill House. They did a fantastic job of that one.

But, I did get a lot done. You can see how we are coming along http://www.uppityminions.com/ I am really excited.

Anyhow, we've revamped the look and since I had days to organise pictures getting stocked went pretty fast. Being alone in my room helps immensely, of course. Our launch date is September 1st and one of the things I'm excited about is our approach to marketing.

Like, you know, talking to real people. Not Tweeting all day to other sellers. Once we get settled in I'll look for a few more shops, but there's no hurry there. As it is, I'm just now getting some sort of inventory process in place.

School is in a couple weeks. Hamid finally has a job, thank God. So we get through another couple months. One foot in front of the other.

I have good friends and I've made a point out of only hanging out with nice people. Funny how one all of a sudden realises that's a choice. You know, you can just walk away from crazy dog park lady, block fixated whomever, forget forums (that freed up a LOT of time) and not take everything the driver in front of you does personally.

The No Drama Approach is wonderful and I highly recommend it. Once you realise how much drama is manufactured for the sake of being drama, well, it's a revelation.

So were the two big bags of stuff I forgot I made, never photographed and listed. That was nifty.

So, sorry about the lapse there, hopefully it won't happen again. I mean, I'm grateful the library was there and all, but, there's nothing like the quiet of upstairs with three big dogs and a very adjustable chair.




Sunday, August 15, 2010

Poetry Sunday

I Knew A Woman by Theodore Roethke
I knew a woman, lovely in her bones,
When small birds sighed, she would sigh back at them;
Ah, when she moved, she moved more ways than one:
The shapes a bright container can contain!
Of her choice virtues only gods should speak,
Or English poets who grew up on Greek
(I'd have them sing in chorus, cheek to cheek.)

How well her wishes went! She stroked my chin,
She taught me Turn, and Counter-turn, and stand;
She taught me Touch, that undulant white skin:
I nibbled meekly from her proffered hand;
She was the sickle; I, poor I, the rake,
Coming behind her for her pretty sake
(But what prodigious mowing did we make.)

Love likes a gander, and adores a goose:
Her full lips pursed, the errant note to seize;
She played it quick, she played it light and loose;
My eyes, they dazzled at her flowing knees;
Her several parts could keep a pure repose,
Or one hip quiver with a mobile nose
(She moved in circles, and those circles moved.)

Let seed be grass, and grass turn into hay:
I'm martyr to a motion not my own;
What's freedom for? To know eternity.
I swear she cast a shadow white as stone.
But who would count eternity in days?
These old bones live to learn her wanton ways:
(I measure time by how a body sways.)

Friday, August 13, 2010

The view from here.




This is pretty much it, all day. With some rain. Just an all around blahness. Internal and out. Would anyone like to come over and clean my house?

P.S. I also just got my first grey hair.

Thursday, August 12, 2010

Well, here we all are.

Or rather, here I am, hope to see you here too.

This Summer has been, well, it's been a huge trying pain in the ASS and while I am aware that growth and change isn't always easy, I'm not convinced that makes it any easier. Seems to be change should be east, growth should be, well, you get what I'm saying, hopefully.

I needed a new direction, me and my little goat. Or maybe just a new place to hang out in while we went on our very, very slow journey to where we would like to be. It takes a long time, I think, because along the way you get distracted, realize you've gone way off track and have to find your way, again.

Again.

I'll try and fill you in over the next couple of weeks as I puzzle things out a bit more. Lots of changes, lots of waking up, lots of trying to stay awake.

Paying attention isn't as easy as you might think. Whether deliberate or not, I've done a poor job of that for quite some time and find myself waking up in the middle of someplace i really don't care to be, thankyouverymuch.

Gathering my things, looking over at the little goat munching on the grass looking at me like he's been waiting forever.

I think it's time to really get started.