From this day on, I own my father's gun...

You will know who your real friends are by how much they encourage you.


This post is going to be short.  I'm super tired, and haven't had much time to myself to unwind lately. 

I wanted everyone to know, that thanks to my friend Kelly, I have started to sell my artwork.  Well... sort of.  The sales are haggled.  Like you suggest what you want to pay for a piece.  Or barter.  For example, Kelly just bought a few of my pieces to decorate her daughter's room.  In exchange, she's sending me a Mary Kay surprise box.  Fair trade.

Here's the link to my art page: ePic Art By Rachel
And for shits and giggles, here's the link to Kelly's Mary Kay page: Mary Kay by Kelly

Enjoy friends.  I'm going to stalk my mom's facebook page because she's in Jamaica this week.

-R.

I wanna know... Have you ever seen the rain coming down on a sunny day?

Thanks to friends, I have the strength to do whatever I want.

I've been working on artwork like crazy this weekend.  I posted a couple new ones on facebook, and a friend suggested that I create a sales page.  And so I did.  I have since removed the artwork page from the blog, and will instead give you the link to the sales page.

ePic Art by Rachel

In addition, I have also decided to NOT list these pieces with prices.  Instead, I am leaving it up to those interested in buying them to name their price.  Or offer an exchange.  And I'm taking suggestions for new pieces of artwork.  What kind of artist does that?! 

So visit the page.  Hang out.  Fall in love with one.  Make an offer.  And become part of a revolution. 

-R.

All I can say is that my life is very plain. I like watching the puddles gather rain.

You exist... but do you live?


I was sitting at home, having a moment, when some overwhelming despair came over me.  Not for me, not for my situation, not for anything that I was experiencing, but for someone else.  For those that have no homes, those that have no families, those without food, without water, without medical care, without rights.  And I started to think...

“I am only one, but still I am one. I cannot do everything, but still I can do something; and because I cannot do everything, I will not refuse to do something that I can do.” -- Helen Keller

 

I need to do something.  For someone who I know may not ever be able to return the favor.  And I need to do it soon. 

 

When I was younger, I always did this.  I helped friends, acquaintances, strangers.  It didn't matter.  You had less than me, and you needed something, I was there.  But somehow, moving to the city has taken this from me.  I have become reclusive.  I care more about making sure I am stable than helping my fellow man.  Maybe this is why I suffer.  Maybe this is why things are being taken from me.  Maybe I am not where I am supposed to be.

 

But where do I go from here?  Do I attempt to create my own nonprofit, which has been my dream?  Where do I start?  Do I run away from everything I know?

 

November is the month of gratitude.  And so far, I've kept up on my thanks.  And I feel pretty good about it.

 

But I need more... Each day I will do something for someone without the expectation that they return the favor.  Anyone else want to join?

"You see, I do something real good for three people. And then when they ask how they can pay it back, I say they have to pay it forward to three more people. Each.  So nine people get helped. Then those people have to do 27, then it sort of spreads out, see. To 81. Then 243. Then 729. Then 2,187. See how big it gets?” -- Trevor, Pay It Forward

 

-R.

 

Everybody dance now!

It's time for us as a people to start makin' some changes.  Let's change the way we eat, let's change the way we live, and let's change the way we treat each other. -- Tupac



I've been battling this horrendous cold all weekend, so I've had a lot of time to think about this post.  I keep getting asked how I occupy my time, now that I have no one to answer to, or share my time with.  It's kind of funny the way people say this to me, because they try to do it in a sensitive way, but more often they should like assholes because of the way it comes out.  I'm completely over the relationship that way, and am beginning to find happiness in my daily life... something that I haven't been able to do in a really long time.

So allow me to share what I'm doing to occupy my time.  Maybe I can spark a new interest for some of you, even without the heartbreak.

• I've reached over 100 finds geocaching.  I absolutely love doing this, and am kind of sad that I'm sick this weekend, otherwise I would have spent the whole weekend looking for treasures.

             

 

• I've been working on some new artwork projects.

• I've created my bucket list (and managed to cross some things out).

  

 

• I've begun my (one of many) Smashbook(s).

           

 

• I'm reading the Hunger Games.
• I'm watching documentaries.
• I'm working on school.
• I'm making new friends.
• I'm learning Spanish.
• I'm going to start working out again, so I created this ridiculous playlist.  Wanna see it?  Yeah, you wanna see it.
•  I Can't Do it Alone -- 3OH!3
• Tootsee Roll -- 69 Boyz
• Thunderstruck -- AC/DC
• Right Now (Na Na Na) -- Akon
• Party Hard -- Andrew W. K.
• Barbie Girl -- Aqua
• Girlfriend -- Avril Lavigne
• Everybody (Backstreet's Back) -- Backstreet Boys
• Larger than Life -- Backstreet Boys
• One Week -- Barenaked Ladies
• Satisfaction -- Benny Benassi
• Freak'um Dress -- Beyonce
• Single Ladies (Put a Ring on it) -- Beyonce
• Girl Fight -- Brooke Valentine ft. Big Boi
• Boom Boom Pow -- Black Eyed Peas
• Womanizer -- Britney Spears
• Do Somethin' -- Britney Spears
• Toxic -- Britney Spears
• (You Drive Me) Crazy -- Britney Spears
• Born to Run -- Bruce Springsteen
• Lit Up -- Buckcherry
• Crazy Bitch -- Buckcherry
• Zoot Suit Riot -- Cherry Poppin' Daddies
• Hot Mess -- Cobra Starship
• What You Got -- Colby O'Donis ft. Akon
• Mr. Jones -- Counting Crows
• Music is my Hot, Hot Sex -- CSS
• Gasolina -- Daddy Yankee
• Where Them Girls At -- David Guetta
• Getting Over You -- David Guetta ft. Chris Willis, Fergie, & LMFAO
• Ghosts 'n' Stuff -- deadmau5
• Groove is in the Heart -- Deee-Lite
• Enjoy the Silence -- Depeche Mode
• Lose my Breath -- Destiny's Child
• Jumpin' Jumpin' -- Destiny's Child
• Bootylicious -- Destiny's Child
• The Game -- Disturbed
• California Girls (DJ Envy Remix) -- Katy Perry ft. Snoop Dogg
• Like a G6 (DJ Fletch Remix) -- Far East Movement
• Move, Shake, Drop (Remix) -- Flo Rida
• Unbelievable -- EMF
• My Name Is -- Eminem
• My Lovin' (You're Never Gonna Get It) -- En Vogue
• Go Ape -- Far East Movement ft. Lil Jon & LMFAO
• Everlong -- Foo Fighters
• One Step at a Time -- Four Year Strong
• Some Nights -- Fun.
• I Like It -- Enrique Iglesias
• The Queen and I -- Gym Class Heroes
• Bring 'em Out -- Hawk Nelson
• Call 'n' Return (Say That You're Into Me) -- Hellogoodbye
• Shimmy Shimmy Quarter Turn -- Hellogoodbye
• With Love -- Hilary Duff
• Jump Around -- House of Pain
• Sweat -- Inner Circle
• Together Again -- Janet Jackson
• Can I Get A... -- Jay-Z
• Are You Gonna Be My Girl -- Jet
• Sexy Back -- Justin Timberlake
• Die Young -- Ke$ha
• 22nd Century -- Kelis
• Commander (Extended Dance Remix) -- Kelly Rowland
• Let it Rock -- Kevin Rudolf ft. Lil Wayne
• Jump -- Kris Kross
• Sweet Dreams -- La Bouche
• Are You Gonna Go My Way? -- Lenny Kravitz
• Break Stuff -- Limp Bizkit
• Rumors -- Lindsay Lohan
• My Own Worst Enemy -- Lit
• I've Been Thinking About You -- Londonbeat
• The Creep -- The Lonely Island ft. Nicki Minaj
• Jizz in my Pants -- The Lonely Island
• I'm on a Boat -- The Lonely Island ft. T-Pain
• Like a Boss -- The Lonely Island
• I Just Had Sex -- The Lonely Island ft. Akon
• Mambo No. 5 -- Lou Bega
• Boys Don't Matter -- Love Sick Radio
• Good Vibrations -- Marky Mark & The Funky Bunch
• We R Who We R -- Ke$ha
• Ooohhhweee --Master P.
• Shake It -- Metro Station
• Party in the USA -- Miley Cyrus
• 7 Things -- Miley Cyrus
• Get Ur Freak On -- Missy Elliot
• Mo Money, Mo Problems -- The Notorious B.I.G. ft. Puff Daddy & Mase
• Come Out and Play -- The Offspring
• I Write Sins Not Tragedies -- Panic! at the Disco
• F**k Authority -- Pennywise
• So What -- Pink
• Trouble -- Pink
• U + Ur Hand -- Pink
• Boom -- P.O.D.
• Lump -- The Presidents of the United States of America
• Double Vision -- 3OH!3 ft. Wiz Khalifa
• Space Jam -- Quad City DJs
• C'Mon N' Ride It -- Quad City DJs
• Bulls on Parade -- Rage Against the Machine
• Give Me Your Hand (Best Song Ever) -- The Ready Set
• Automatic Lover (Call for Love) -- Real McCoy
• I Like to Move it -- Reel 2 Real
• Livin' la Vida Loca -- Ricky Martin
• Scatman -- Scatman John
• Temperature -- Sean Paul
• Romance -- Serani
• Breakn' a Sweat (Zedd Remix) -- Skrillix & Members from the Doors
• Butterfly -- Smile D. K.
• The Power -- Snap!
• Spice up Your Life -- Spice Girls
• Wannabe -- Spice Girls
• Got Your Back -- T.I. ft. Keri Hilson
• Whoomp!  There it is -- Tag Team
• Dynamite -- Taio Cruz
• Break Your Heart -- Taio Cruz ft. Ludacris
• Closer -- Tegan & Sara
• Semi-Charmed Life -- Third Eye Blind
• Riot -- Three Days Grace
• I Think We're Alone Now -- Tiffany
• Mickey -- Toni Basil
• I Do -- Toya
• Best Friend -- Toybox
• Walk it Out -- DJ Unk
• DJ Got us Fallin' in Love -- Usher
• Ninja Rap -- Vanilla Ice
• Ice, Ice Baby -- Vanilla Ice
• No Rain -- Blind Melon
• Song 2 -- Blur
• The Patient Ferris Wheel -- The Gaslight Anthem
• Inside Out -- Eve 6
• Talk to Me, Dance with Me -- Hot Hot Heat
• What is Love -- Haddaway
• Scotty Doesn't Know -- Lustra
• Where Do You Go -- No Mercy
• Marry You -- Bruno Mars
• Holding Out for a Hero -- From the Shrek 2 Soundtrack
• Be My Lover -- La Bouche
• Boom, Boom, Boom, Boom --Vengaboys
• We Like the Party -- Vengaboys
• Sex on the Beach -- Vengaboys
• Somebody that I Used to Know -- Walk Off the Earth
• Check it Out -- Will.I.Am & Nicki Minaj
• Gettin' Jiggy Wit It -- Will Smith
• Miami -- Will Smith
• Shots -- LMFAO & Lil Jon
• We no Speak Americano -- Yoland Be Cool & Dcup
• Lights (Bassnectar Remix) -- Ellie Goulding

Seems like a lot, but it's really not.  Ha!  Even with all these things, I still experience loneliness, I still experience sadness, I still experience anger.  But I live those emotions.  I work through those emotions.  I get over things.  I experience happiness.  I experience joy.  I learn to be happy being alone.... plus talking to the cat helps.

 

So I challenge you.  Find something new.  Throw yourself into it.  Wholeheartedly.  Don't give up.  Don't try.  Just do.  Try means you're giving yourself the option to fail.  Do it.  Experience it.  Enjoy it.  Complete it.  Share it.

 

 

-R.

 

I want something else to get me through this semi-charmed kinda life

 

Sometimes it takes a good fall to really know where you stand.  --Hayley Williams


As I was sitting here, pondering over another glass of wine, and trying to figure out a way to clear out my sinuses, it dawned on me.... I need to create a goals list.  Why?  Well..... why not!?  I'm single, I have time to do things, I'm broke (so no chances of going out anywhere)...

Let's do this!

 

Yeah... I went there.

 

 

 

Ok.... Let's see.

 

1. Graduate with my doctorate degree.

2. Lose 100 pounds.  (Side note: I know that seems like a lot, but since everything has happened, I've hit my all-time highest weight of.... 240 pounds.... yikes)

3. Get fit and healthy.

4. Learn to decorate cakes.  Duff style.

5. Sell my artwork.

6. Learn spanish.

7. Meditate.

8. Start a five year plan for my career.

9. Go somewhere I've never been.

10. Visit New York in 2013.

 

 

Here.  Ten goals.  Sounds reasonable right?  I like it.  Any you would like me to accomplish?  I'm always open for suggestions! 

 

I think I'm going to drift off into art world for a little bit.  It's not goodbye, it's see you later, man.

 

 

-R.

Don't tell me if I'm dying, 'cause I don't wanna know...

Even the best fall down sometimes...


I was sitting here, thinking about how I was going to start out this blog, when it dawned on me.  My blog has had almost 500 views in the little time that I've been working on it.... and I want to know more about you!

Send me your artwork, your pictures, your poems, anything really!  I want to use my followers to inspire others.  What do you do to pick yourself up?  Maybe you write music.  Great!  Youtube that shit, and I'll link to you!

Let's start a movement.  Let's encourage others to do what makes them happy.  Fuck societal rules.  Fuck monetary beliefs.  Fuck everything that you think you know.  Just do what makes you happy.  Do what makes you free.  Do what make you, you.

I look forward to your awesomeness!

-R.