My Tumblr Blog

Dionysus Beauty @ Tumblr

I've become a bit obsessed with art lately thanks to Pinterest and Tumblr. Sites like these make finding art accessible and easy, it's all at your fingertips. I started a Tumblr blog to collect all of my favorite pieces in one place. I have a Pinterest board as well with a smaller set of favorites. What I love about these two sites is that I have been introduced to so many different kinds of artists I might have never found otherwise. I have always loved art, it expresses what I cannot say in words and it makes me think, and oh how I love to ponder.

The title "Dionysus in Flux" came about because Dionysus is my pseudonym, it’s where my name originally comes from. Dionysus was most commonly known as the Greek God of wine and agriculture, the God of the grape harvest. He was also called the liberator, and represented freeing oneself, often through wine and artistic expression.

Dionysus Beauty is a name I came up with when I was writing a beauty blog. It means to be a natural beauty and to liberate yourself from society’s standards. Anyone who is inspiring, empowered, educated, and strong. Those who embrace their beauty.

Dionysus in Flux represents the elements mentioned above. Sometimes an explosion of emotion, color, or introspective at other times and solemn. This is what the inside of my mind and heart looks like on any given day, depending on my mood. Images that represent different aspects of me. It’s an evolution of self as I transform and transition from one stage of life to the next. My blog is a visual representation of my reaction to life and observations. 

I appreciate art, and beauty in all it’s many varied forms, and anything clever or eloquent. I am a lover of words and images that evoke emotion, they speak to me. 

State of flux - a state of uncertainty about what should be done (usually following some important event) preceding the establishment of a new direction of action.

Flux: continuous change, passage, movement, or flow.

Flow is the mental state of operation in which a person performing an activity is fully immersed in a feeling of energized focus, full involvement, and enjoyment in the process of the activity.

"All is flux, nothing stays still." -Heraclitus of Ephesus

10.17.12 Update:

New template! I've polished my blog up a bit and added a lot of great new posts. I've been posting mostly art, photography, inspirational and literary quotes, posts centered around causes, and random bits of funny. Come have a look!:)

Pursuing Your Dreams

Today was a great day:) I got some news of the best kind. There is a marketing internship I really wanted and I was offered the position. I’m on cloud nine right now and I just wanted to share. Right before this post I published a quote I saw on Pinterest via mymodernmet.com about pursuing creative work but it’s really applicable to pursuing dreams in general.

Nobody tells you just how hard it’s going to be. You might get a glimpse or hear a bit about it, but going through it first hand you learn just how arduous it really is. If it were easy, everyone would do it. See there is THIS GAP, between when you are starting out and reaching your goal, and more often than not, it’s a BIG ONE.

The best thing I’ve learned is this: No matter how broke you are, or how many sacrifices you have to make, how little of a social life you have because of how hard you work, or how far away the end result seems, JUST KEEP GOING. Patience and perseverance will get you there every time.
If you are unconventional like myself then you probably take non-traditional routes in life. I traveled inside and outside the U.S. during my twenties before going to college. It was the best experience of my life but it has its price. Even still, I wouldn’t change things if I actually had the chance to. I have fantasized about it though, only because it might have made my life easier, but when it comes down to it, the reward for a big risk-doing things your way, is PRICELESS.

I have to tell myself to remember, it’s a process, and the best things in life are fought hard for. I also think about people I respect like Michael Jordan. Michael Jordan once said “I’ve missed more than 9000 shots in my career. I’ve lost almost 300 games. 26 times, I’ve been trusted to take the game winning shot and missed. I’ve failed over and over and over again in my life. AND THAT IS WHY I SUCCEED.” To this day Michael Jordan is known as the best NBA basketball player of all time.
So I will keep going, and I will focus on the prize because doing what you love in this life is a beautiful gift. This is my second marketing internship and my third job in social media and marketing. I love what I do, I have passion and determination, and that is why I will succeed.
And now to celebrate…DANCE TIME!!!!
   

FAme

What kind of effect does fame have on people? I’ve heard it said, “no one can prepare you for that kind of attention, what it does to your life.” I can only imagine but being under a microscope like that must be extremely difficult to say the least. Being interested in psychology I’m fascinated with the hold celebrities have on people, this celebrity obsession our society has. I’ve caught myself being captivated by certain celebrities because of how I perceive their beauty, lifestyle, talent, ect. I think it's mostly the characters actors play that people fall in love with. However, I believe typically actors have to pull from within to play a certain part, they have to “be” that person to play that character so it’s natural to find yourself intrigued by the actor as a person.

At this point in our celebrity fascination I think things have gone to far. The paparazzi, although I understand they are trying to make a living, play a role in a potentially dangerous game. In more extreme cases like Princess Diana, it’s evident the danger involved. We tend to brush off the everyday Hollywood photos that splash across the magazines on a regular basis.  However, photos from a recent scandal made me think about the reality of fame and it’s affect on celebrities as well as the people who pay attention to their every move.



Kristen Stewart has been thrust into the spotlight this past week for negative reasons amidst promoting new movies. I won’t discuss the reason in detail because I think doing so encourages more discussion about what should be a private issue. Under normal circumstances it might be but unfortunately for all involved, this is not a normal situation. It couldn’t have happened to a more famous young Hollywood couple.

The media, since the internet age began, has increasingly become a less credible source and more manipulative to gain ratings. They have far too much control over what people believe to be truth. I don’t believe the media takes the responsibility it should because we live in a capitalistic society where money is the main focus. All of this aside, pictures can be misleading but they do not lie. It is what it is and it will take it’s course. My question is, why are we so surprised when celebrities act, well, human? Why do we seem to hold them to a higher standard of morality? Why do we judge them harshly for their mistakes? We seem to have a need for them to live out our fairly tale fantasies and when they disappoint us we feel betrayed.

A Lost Love

This sculpture means a lot to me. The picture was taken by an ex-boyfriend and I believe it is in Denmark or Sweden. I'm not sure which, if anyone knows please comment. It symbolizes our relationship and constant frustration to communicate and understand one another. Art is interpretive and I see in this sculpture, the woman trying to explain something to the man, or maybe she is giving him hard news, and he, his head in his hands, not understanding or dismayed by what she is saying.

When I reflect on that relationship I remember what I learned, what I enjoyed, and what I regret. I wrote several poems about it but the one I like most is one I wrote of a dream I had. When I write, I write with a fury to get it all out and when I am finished I read what I wrote to understand it. I look back and feel very differently now but I can appreciate the feelings behind this poem. Love can be bittersweet but it’s memory is still important.

The Dream of A Lost Love

You broke the window to my soul, and stole a piece that left a hole."I just feel like we were cheated, " I say to you, in a dream, where you offer me a warm embrace, knowingly and kind. We were flying and our bodies were moving at the speed of light, the only creation I could see were your eyes staring into mine; in them were forgiveness and peace so I smile and release.  Only a dream could produce you now in the deep recesses of my mind so patience is a virtue I must learn in time. but if only for a night  I saw a glimpse from his eyes to mine.

Poetry

RELEASE

Bathe me in warm light because I’m on my way to higher ground. Leave a seat open; reserve one, for my heart will soon be found. If troubled waters are shallow than I must be getting close. Patience and perseverance, I close my eyes and let go, the tide will bring me in.

Something I wrote about my journey in the last few years. Transformation and change is hard and overwhelming at times. Sometimes it is necessary to let go and be open and accepting to change. I am a bit stubborn and tend to resist unintentionally making it more difficult for myself. Like Philo of Alexandria said "Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a great battle." Some struggles are more internal than others. 

Why You Need A Personal Brand: Women's Forum: BraveHeart Women

Branding yourself: find your passion skills, marketplace. As a marketing student this is something I love. As these ladies put it; whether you're an executive in the corporate world or a stay at home mom for example, we all have our own personal brand, it has a purpose, allowing you to share your message. “If you don’t define your brand, the world will define it for you.” This is a great video to watch:) As we BraveHeart women say, “Be Inspiration in Action”

It doesn’t have to be something you get paid for, though it’s wonderful if you can find that. Having an avocation and a vocation is different but each are a way of expressing yourself. We all have something unique to offer the world. If you are feeling stuck, pursue what stimulates you and evokes passion.

Do not waste your talents, keeping them hidden from the world to protect them is a mistake. I heard this in a sermon this last Sunday at my church but it doesn’t have to be a religious concept, it is a universal one. Share yourself with the world and you will get back what you give. As long you are constantly developing your brand and reinventing yourself you benefit from your own growth and evolve your message.

BraveHeartWomenTV's Channel – YouTube

Why You Need A Personal Brand: Women's Forum: BraveHeart Women

What is Dionysus Beauty?

Dionysus is my pseudonym. I use it a lot in different profile accounts and my blogs. I often use the name Dionysus Beauty, it is also the name of my beauty blog. I decided to write something similar to a mission statement to explain what a Dionysus Beauty is and what that means to me.

My Mission is to…

Inspire  Empower  Inform  Challenge  Change

Embrace Beauty in all its varied forms

Celebrate liberation and support it

Encourage the end of care and worry

Express Love, Peace and Freedom

A Dionysus Beauty is anyone who is inspiring, empowered, educated, and strong. Those  who embrace their beauty and liberate themselves from society’s standards. I use the name Dionysus, the Greek God as my pseudonym, where my name originally comes from and because Dionysus represented liberation, freeing oneself, often through wine and artistic expression. He was also viewed as a lover of peace and on a mission to end care and worry. I am on a mission to do these very things and encourage hope. Express your creativity in whatever form that may be, give peace a chance, and always promote freedom. To me that is the true essence of beauty and its power.

9/11/11 “Too Deep For Tears”

9/11/11 Too Deep For Tears - Dionysus Beauty - (link to article on my website "Dionysus Beauty")

Today is a day of reflection for Americans. A day to mourn, to remember, to pay our respects. A time of prayer, healing, and forgiveness. We cannot undo the events of September 11th, 2001. We cannot unsee what transpired. But we can move forward stronger, carrying with us the dreams of those we lost. We can live our lives to the best of our ability, aspiring to be good people, and Americans that would make them proud; proud of their country's tenacity and resilience, so that their deaths would not be in vain.  You cannot fight fire with fire. You can protect yourself against it and fight back to keep it at bay. But hate will survive, as inevitably as love will prevail. Love and time are the best defense we have. So in remembrance of 9/11/01, let us stand united, giving back love, respect, and gratitude to one another. This is the greatest gift we can bestow to all those affected by the tragic events that took place that fateful day.

Below is one of my favorite poems from William Wordsworth's Ode: Intimations of Immortality. The following video is this poem in the movie "A River Runs Through It" directed and narrated by Robert Redford, one of my favorite actors, and based on the novel of the same name by Norman Mclean. This poem says so eloquently what I feel when I reflect on life's tragedies. I think it is particularly appropriate for this day.

"...Though nothing can bring back the hour of splendor in the grass,
of glory in the flower; we will grieve not, rather find
strength in what remains behind;
In the primal sympathy which having been must ever be;
In the soothing thoughts that spring out of human suffering;
... In the faith that looks through death...
Thanks to the human heart by which we live
Thanks to its tenderness, its joys, and fears
To me the meanest flower that blows, can give thoughts that do often lie too deep for tears.”

These photos below are from the 9/11 Memorial in New York City. They were taken during a ceremony on 9/11/11 honoring the fallen men and women who lost their lives to the terrorist attacks. The Memorial consists of a beautiful park where people can come and pay their respects. Diagonal from each other on both sides are two footprints of the Twin Towers. They are cascading, continuous waterfalls that seem to fall into a bottomless well. Lining each side of the memorial waterfalls are the names of those who lost their lives.  The flowing of water reminds us that the spirit of life is eternal and goes on. It is symbolic of strength, purity, and grace. NEVER FORGOTTEN.

New Website!! “Dionysus Beauty"; an online lifestyles magazine

A little less than a year ago I began writing blogs. At the time of summer I was writing up to four blogs. I realized it was going to be a bit difficult to consistently post in each one every week. So I decided to create a site where all of my blogs would be combined into one place. I’ll still keep this one as a personal blog about life observations but please visit me at my new site where most of my newer pieces will be. As I am pursuing my degree in marketing and media studies, which includes journalism, I hope to use this site as a resource for honing my writing skills and sharing my thoughts with the world. I write about everything from news articles, to fashion and beauty, to travel, healthy food, great deals, and life in general. My passion is writing and this is part of my path. Who knows, maybe it will turn into something more…

Dionysus Beauty: A Guide to an Inexpensive Health and Beauty Lifestyle

UPDATE 12.29.12:

I've made this website private while I focus on my studies and other blog I've created. It was a good learning experience, good for anyone who wants to play around with the design and layout of a website. I liked created images in Google drawings, very basic and easy to use resource. Dionysus Beauty was a fun concept to work on.

Running Down a Dream

I have a few favorite quotes that I live by and I think they give insight to who I am. The first quote is "Great Difficulties May Be Overcome by Patience and Perseverance." by Abigail Adams. The Second quote that I live by is “Give me the arrows of enthusiasm as opposed to the wisdom of complacency. It is unknown who said that, but a CNN reporter passed it along to me and I have been affected by it ever since. The third quote is by Maya Angelou "Human beings are more alike than unalike, and what is true anywhere is true everywhere, yet I encourage travel to as many destinations as possible for the sake of education as well as pleasure."

I have always tried to use travel as an opportunity to meet people from all walks of life. I believe you can learn a great deal from being surrounded by diversity. I first decided to travel and live different places on my own because of this very reason. Travel is part of who I am. I did this for several years before returning home to finish school. It was an invaluable education that changed me as an individual.

Since I have gone back to school in the last few years I have undergone a significant transformation. Just like the first quote I listed, I believe in never giving up. With patience and perseverance, all things can be accomplished. Even when I feel like giving in or taking the easy way, I remind myself that the best things in life are fought hard for. It is my firm belief that if you have enthusiasm for life you can expand your horizons and avoid becoming complacent. You’ll be able to reinvent yourself over and over again. When I have a day like today where I feel insecure, or somehow unworthy, or not good enough, unsure of my decisions, or maybe I don’t belong, I remind myself that everything in my life has led me to this point and that I am exactly where I need to be so I can do what I was meant to do.

Dionysus In Pursuit

Dionysus In Pursuit
"Give me the arrows of enthusiasm as opposed to the wisdom of complacency" –Unknown
Above is a link to my google website where I store all of my writings. Writing is what heals me, teaches me, it is how I grow, and learn from life lessons.

I am currently a student. It has changed my perspective, opened my mind, and is helping me fulfill my potential. I want to incorporate writing into whatever job I pursue. The degree I'm pursuing is Marketing and Media Studies. I want to be involved on the creative end but also understand the quantitative side. I will be taking courses in internet marketing, social media, product innovation and branding, creative writing, journalism, and anything else I fancy. I’m using blogs as a forum to hone my writing skills and share my life with the world.

"Be who God meant you to be and you will set the world on fire" -St. Catherine of Siena

Ch. 1 Passion and Angst

“Ever notice how quiet it gets right before you’re about to kiss someone?” Cindy mused staring up at the night sky.

“No…don’t really think about that kind of thing.” David shrugged, shuffling his feet back and forth.

“You know, the first time, that first kiss. There’s a moment, right before, when everything gets really still, and all you can feel is each other’s heat and breath and everything kind of slows down.” She stared at the sky, lost in her words.

David looked over at her, all pale and moonlight dancing off her face. Her blonde hair was down and blowing in the light breeze, held up only on the left side by a single barrette that showed her small little ear. He wondered what made her think of this and if maybe she was giving him some kind of signal or something.

“Anyway…” she broke her train of thought with a sigh and a smile as she turned back around to face him. “C’mon, let’s go back.” she said. David knew the moment was gone as she playfully pushed him and starting walking back to the party.

“So what are you thinking of doing this summer with all the free time you’ll have?” She smirked back at him.

“I don’t know….think I might take it easy for a bit, do a little fishing, camping, maybe write some..” David grinned broadly, his hands stuck firmly in his pockets, “ Why, what are you doing, any big plans?”

Cindy paused for a second, thinking about her upcoming move. She hadn’t mentioned it to David yet, too worried it would change things between them. He was her best friend, her sole confident. He should have been the first person she told, but for some reason she had been putting it off, not sure how to say it.

“Umm, well…actually I am thinking of moving…" she started fidgeting with her hands, suddenly very aware of her fingers and how humid the night air was, that it made them a little damp with moisture. "Okay, I am moving, I’m going back home.” She held her breath for a minute, there it was.

“What?? Since when are you moving?” He scrunched his face up confused. He was used to her impulsivity and spontaneity but this was extreme even for her.

Cindy looked over seeming distracted; he looks so cute, she thought, all bewildered with her news. His dark, furrowed brow showing his concern. She was really going to miss that.

“This is a little out of the blue,” he muttered when she didn’t say anything.

Cindy stopped and turned to look at him, a sad resigned look on her face.

“I’m going back, it’s been too long, eight years is a really long time to be away from your family, I miss them David.”

“Sure you do, but isn’t this kind of sudden?” He stood looking puzzled, secretly thinking in the back of his mind he’d always known this moment was coming, dreading it more like.

“Been thinking about it for awhile…..this place isn’t right for me anymore, it’s time to go I think. I need to finish school, I need a change.”

“Yea…..I know you do.” David looked down at his feet, pushing the sand around with his right foot, looking up he said “It’s not going to be the same without you here.”

She grinned and laughed, “Yea right, you’ve been waiting to get rid of me.” Her eyes twinkled in the moonlight and she flashed that big smile of hers, ear to ear, the one that made her eyes sparkle and the small dimple in her right cheek show. She had seven smiles and this was one of his favorites. She used it anytime she was either trying to get something or looking to downplay the situation. This time was obviously the latter.
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This is a rough draft of a short story I’m working on, maybe it will turn into something more, but for now it’s just the beginning of something I was inspired to write.