Friday, December 31, 2010

Review of 2010 in the life of Raphaella Vaisseau

Rather than a Year of Expression that I declared twelve months ago, 2010 has been a year of inventiveness, perseverance, flexibility, and appreciating what’s good in my life and in the world. This year has been about reducing debt, eliminating ineffectiveness, increasing streams of income, enjoying the support of business alliances and establishing new ones, and valuing family and friends. All of what I’ve put in motion in 2010 will continue for the next few years as I build a more solid foundation for my work in the world. Artistically, I intended to explore and manifest new expressions, but did not accomplish more than a toe in the water of what I want to create in art and writing. As my new foundation supports me going forward, I hope to have more space in my life for creativity and new artistic expression. I look forward to expanding and simplifying at the same time.

A highlight of 2010 was continuing the conversation of Landmark Education seminars in Sarasota. Not only does this work provide opportunities for breakthrough in self-enlightenment, but the community itself is a group of interesting, intelligent, evolved human beings I thoroughly enjoy getting to know. I also continued my studies of Abraham-Hicks, NLP, and hypnosis, all of which I enjoy very much and will continue to study in the future.

On a lighter note, being a kitten foster mom for little rescued ones was a source of great comfort and joy to me this year. In a time when survival seemed to take so much time and effort, their little faces and furry bodies were an oasis of sweetness and beauty, reminding me to continually look for what’s good, pure, and life-giving.

Monday, December 27, 2010

Winterhaven Festival of Lights - Tucson, AZ 2010

Anja, David, and I walked the streets of Tucson last night to experience Winterhaven's Festival of Lights. My pictures are mostly blurry light streaks, but I found Warren's slideshow on Flickr and it captures the magic of the evening. Enjoy!

Sunday, December 26, 2010

Getting Ready for the New Year - Beginning New Fitness Focus in 2011

Here's me in Mexico on Rosarito Beach in 1990. It's one of my favorite pictures of me for more reasons than that I was slim, happy, living in Malibu and loving life during this time. Twenty years and many memories have passed since then.

It wasn't until I moved to Ashland, Oregon in the late 90s that I started putting on weight. It might have been for any number of reasons. Who knows why? I had a breakthrough in my thinking about cooking and buying fresh healthy food in 2005 when my friend, Anja, came up from LA to spend the summer with me in Marin County. I had another breakthrough in 2006 after an event at my gallery with a life coach. Another chunk of resistance released and I started craving exercise. I logged on to peertrainer.com and loved the online camaraderie. I lost 33 lbs. over the next 6 months.

After the gallery closed on Oct 31, 2006, I entered a 3-year reinventing my business phase, and it became a challenge for me to keep up the enthusiastic fitness program. I moved to Venice, Florida two years later. Now I am ready to begin again. I've found a new online site to support my goals: livestrong.com. Today is my kickoff DAY ONE. I'll keep you posted. I'm setting my sights on a much healthier, happier, physically fit 2011. Keep seeing me there.

Wednesday, December 22, 2010

Sunrise in Arizona

My good friends, Anja and David recently retired and moved from Los Angeles, CA to Marana, Arizona. Today was the first morning of my Christmas visit with them. I woke up early in the morning, in time to witness the sunrise. It was spectacular. The slideshow of the whole dramatic event is here on Flickr. Today we visited the Tucson Museum of Art and artisan shops across the street. Tomorrow we journey to Tubac to visit the Tubac Center of the Arts. Anja and I have explored roads, towns and cities together for over thirty five years, from New York to LA, Denver to Sausalito, and many in between. It's always an artful, thought-provoking adventure of discovery the result of years and years of friendship, love, support, and acceptance.