Category: Best of Everything

Focusing and Architecture: Designing From The Inside Out

By , December 14, 2009 7:17 pm

In The Not So Big House and Creating The Not So Big House books, Sarah Susanka (amazon link) advocates leaving the vaulted-ceiling mansions that have become the hallmark of house design and returning to designing houses that are specifically tailored to the very personal and unique needs of the homeowner who will live in the architect-designed home. Quality replaces quantity; intimate detailing replaces square footage.

Recently, as my husband and I hired an architect and began the schematic design process for our future retirement home, I found myself in the midst of an “archetypal” battle. I see it as defined by the clash of “masculine” vs. “feminine,” “Thinking vs. Feeling” modes of being, based upon psychiatrist C.G. Jung’s descriptions and psychological tests such as the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator and Keirsey Temperament Sorter (see “Jung, MBTI, and Experiential Theory”  for explanations and Creative Edge Focusing Personality Tests for links for some free versions of these tests).

My husband and I had agreed, after seeing the book New Minimalist Houses (this is Amazon link for great bargain price, $50 reduced to $15!), that Minimalist could describe the kind of house we wanted — lots of glass/concrete/steel, as little as possible between us and the surrounding nature of our 20-acre forest on a ridge. But, it turned out, this was about all we agreed on!

Mind you, both the architect and my husband are feminist, egalitarian, good listeners. And I am a Ph.D. scholar.Yet, there was something about this opportunity to design from a blank slate that engaged all of us in visions to which we desperately wanted to cling, making it almost impossible to “hear from” the opposing view .

The architect followed a method he is known for, going to the home site, hiking for hours, sitting for hours if needed, until he came up with an inspiration for the design of the house, knowing some about us but a lot about the site and location. He ended up discovering a totally different and much better site location for the house, in our twenty acres of forest, and offering creative and striking designs for a one- and two-story version of our house.

The architect’s proposed one-story design was much like The Air House in the Minimalist book — a long rectangle of glass, spread along the ridge, with views and light from North and South. My husband fell in love with it, as it let light enter every room from both north and south.

Okay, I thought, I can live with that, but I want the Guest Area/Project Room/Full Bath closer to the rest of the house, not across a breezeway, I said. I said the Garage and Shop can go across the breezeway. I knew that, at a distance, I would not use the space for Projects, and it would be empty, wasted square footage except when Guests came.

I also wanted the Full Bath to be shared with the two Studies at that end of the house, so that the three spaces, Guest/Project, Study, Study could function as bedrooms, if our future aging needs or future buyers needed such a constellation. I thought my husband would be happy with the striking southern views and light he could have from his shop. And he was okay with this compromise.

And here the epic struggle began. The architect would come back with his original design, saying “the house” needs the Guest/Project/Bath across the courtyard, or “there needs to be a living space across the courtyard to balance the design.” I would counter with “I” need them on this side of the courtyard, so they can function together as three bedrooms, if needed.

And yet his design would come back again, modified some but still with Project/Guest/Bath at a distance from the rest of the house (given geographical distance, we were communicating by email, not ideal!). Finally I said, “You keep trying to ISOLATE this space, and I am trying to CONNECT it.”

I also mentioned casually to my husband that I would like a Front Porch, where I could sit and watch nature go by, and where visitors could find a sheltered entry.

Reading Susanka, I also found some confirmation for my wish for some bay windows to serve as alcoves at the edges of the minimalist open floor plan. I was afraid that flat, rectangular expanses of glass wall would not “draw us in” to the view, would seem cold and distant.

And my husband, usually very mild-mannered,  freaked out: “No! No bumps! The house is to be sleek, sleek, not full of bumps and lumps.”

It seemed to me that each of them, husband and architect, were quite comfortable with accommodating the needs of the residents to the needs of the design, the conceptual needs of “the house.” They could look at a floor plan and fall in love with it.

I however, could not imagine living, feeling alive, in a house that was like a shell laid over and against my actual living, constraining me into a particular shape.

Through an epic struggle coming close to divorce and firing of the architect, we have come to an understanding, a compromise which I call “cozy minimalism,” incorporating Susanka’s sensitivity to the human longing for enclosed, sheltered “alcoves” at the edges of open floor plan spaces with the flying visions, open spaces, and angles of minimalism.

We are entering a period of design where the architect will mainly LISTEN as my husband and I articulate our intuitive sense of our own wants and needs, and then come up with creative, unique ideas and methods for incorporating, aned compromising, those needs.

Out of this new dialogue, already a possible “roof garden” and “sunroom/breakfast nook” alcove have arisen to soften The Air House into an individualized home, yet keep the soaring aspects of the architect’s inspiration.

For more on The Not So Big concept, designing from “the inside out,” from careful attention to the unique needs of the homeowner, see the Susanka books cited above.

For more on learning to Listen To Yourself through Intuitive Focusing and Listen to Another through Focused Listening, see the many resources and free downloads below.

CREATIVE EDGE FOCUSING(tm):  SELF-HELP SKILLS FOR HOME AND WORK

Free Downloads: 

Complete Focusing Instructions Manual (17 pages)

“Ajas” Instantaneos Mini-Manual

Creative Edge Focusing (www.cefocusing.com ) teaches two basic self-help skills, Intuitive Focusing and Focused Listening, which can be applied at home and at work through The Creative Edge Focusing Pyramid.

Based upon Gendlin’s Experiential Focusing (www.focusing.org ) and Rogers’ Empathic Listening, our website is packed with Free Resources and instructions in these basic self-help skills. Learn how to build Support Groups, Conscious Relationships, and Creative Edge Organizations based upon these basic skills of emotional intelligence.

You can try out    “Focusing: Find Out What Is Bothering You.”

Click here to subscribe to Creative Edge Focusing(TM)’s  Instant “Ahah!” e-newsletter and get the latest exercises first!!! 

Click here for a free Intuitive Focusing Mini-Course

Click here for a free Focused Listening Mini-Course

 See  Core Concept: Conflict Resolution to find a complete mini-course on Interpersonal Focusing and Conflict Resolution, including Rosenberg’s Non-Violent Communication, Blanchard’s “One Minute Apology,” Patricia Evan’s books on Verbally Abuse and Controlling Relationships, McMahon’s Beyond The Myth Of Dominance, and much more.

See  Core Concept: Intimate Relationship to find a complete mini-course on increasing intimacy and sexuality, including the “Sharing Your Day” exercise, Listening/Focusing Partnerships for The Way of Relationship, untangling and equalizing desire, tantric sexuality, and much more.

Download complete Instant “Ahah!” Mini-Manual, in English and Spanish, from CEF Website, or download from links at top of this blog.

Find links to free articles, personality tests, multi-media Self-Help training, Classes and workshops

Dr. Kathy McGuire, Director

Creative Edge Focusing (TM)

www.cefocusing.com

 

 

 

OBAMA DESIGNER JASON WU’S FASHION ROYALTY DOLL OSCAR’S RED CARPET DIORAMA

By , March 6, 2009 12:09 pm

Okay, after five posts on “Why Cry?” (Parts 1-5), time for some light-hearted fun where Dr. Kathy McGuire plays with her collection of Jason Wu’s fantastic Fashion Royalty dolls and their male escorts on the Red Carpet for Oscar night.

 Wu, who designed Michele Obama’s Inaugural Ball Gown, began winning Barbie doll fashion design contests at age 16, went on to join multi-ethnic doll company Integrity Toys (www.integritytoys.com ), and soon started his own line for Integrity, the Fashion Royalty dolls (www.fashionroyalty.com ).

Initially extremely limited (100-1000 max, compared to Barbie’s 30,000-100,000!), with beautiful authentic multi-ethnic face sculpts with fabulous makeup, and fashions from gorgeous fabrics, totally lined, with tucks and pleats and flounces and buttons and snaps galore (compared to Barbie’s velcro closings!), Wu’s Fashion Royalty dolls took the doll collecting world by storm. The entire new line was bought up in Spring and Fall completely on Pre-Order, sight unseen, and dolls immediately tripled (or more!) in value on ebay.

Search “Fashion Royalty,” “Jason Wu,” and “Michele Obama”  in my blog for more details and photos, or look in Category “Best of Everything.”

For my real work (when not playing with my dolls), I, Dr. Kathy McGuire, “give away” a multitude of self-help skills, for intimacy, conflict resolution, parenting, education, spirituality, creativity, innovation, Creative Edge Organization, and more as described below:

CREATIVE EDGE FOCUSING(tm):  SELF-HELP SKILLS FOR HOME AND WORK

Free Downloads:

Complete Focusing Instructions Manual (17 pages)

“Ajas” Instantaneos Mini-Manual

Creative Edge Focusing (www.cefocusing.com ) teaches two basic self-help skills, Intuitive Focusing and Focused Listening, which can be applied at home and at work through The Creative Edge Focusing Pyramid.

Based upon Gendlin’s Experiential Focusing (www.focusing.org ) and Rogers’ Empathic Listening, our website is packed with Free Resources and instructions in these basic self-help skills. Learn how to build Support Groups, Conscious Relationships, and Creative Edge Organizations based upon these basic skills of emotional intelligence.

You can try out    “Focusing: Find Out What Is Bothering You.”

Click here to subscribe to Creative Edge Focusing(TM)’s  Instant “Ahah!” e-newsletter and get the latest exercises first!!! 

Click here for a free Intuitive Focusing Mini-Course

Click here for a free Focused Listening Mini-Course

 See  Core Concept: Conflict Resolution to find a complete mini-course on Interpersonal Focusing and Conflict Resolution, including Rosenberg’s Non-Violent Communication, Blanchard’s “One Minute Apology,” Patricia Evan’s books on Verbally Abuse and Controlling Relationships, McMahon’s Beyond The Myth Of Dominance, and much more.

See  Core Concept: Intimate Relationship to find a complete mini-course on increasing intimacy and sexuality, including the “Sharing Your Day” exercise, Listening/Focusing Partnerships for The Way of Relationship, untangling and equalizing desire, tantric sexuality, and much more.

Download complete Instant “Ahah!” Mini-Manual, in English and Spanish, from CEF Website, or download from links at top of this blog.

Find links to free articles, personality tests, multi-media Self-Help training, Classes and workshops

Dr. Kathy McGuire, Director

Creative Edge Focusing (TM)

www.cefocusing.com

OBAMA DESIGNER JASON WU’S 2009 FASHION ROYALTY PRE-ORDER TODAY!

By , February 23, 2009 1:18 pm

If you go to Wu’s  Integrity Toys’ website, makers of his Fashion Royalty and other doll lines , you will find a complete gallery of photos of all his doll lines presented at last week’s Toy Fair.  www.integritytoys.com/gallery  There are the lower-cost Dynamite Girls, Fashion Royalty, the Hollywood Legends Josephine Parker and Lana Turner, and the new, ultra-articulated 16 inch dolls. You will also find Wu and Mel Odom’s collaboration on the new Gene Marshall doll and her friends with fantastic 1940’s wordrobe. This gallery is only available for a few weeks from Feb. 20, 2009.

At least in the past, Wu’s Fashion Royalty dolls have sold out immediately on Pre-Order on the day of their release which, I think, is today!!!!  My present dealer, Pat Feick, at www.patspotpourri.com begins taking pre-orders today, I think, although I don’t see the photos on her website yet. If I were you, I might choose the dolls I want from the Integrity Toys gallery (also accessed from http://www.fashionroyalty.com/news.html , click on Enter Presentation here), get their names, and email Pat, or another dealer (all dealers are listed on the Fashion Royalty website) with your interest immediately. Pat’s  email and other ordering info are on her website.

Sorry, non-doll lovers on my feed, but you cannot imagine what a frenzy ordering these dolls can be! They are highly limited editions, multi-ethnic,  spectacularly sculpted and dressed, and now that Jason Wu has entered the limelight even more, since Michelle Obama chose to wear his design for her Inaugural Ball gown, hard to predict what will happen with Jason’s doll line (as well as his human line, of course, at www.jasonwustudio.com ).

I offer this only as self-help and cannot guarantee any of this information. I am just a doll lover and long-time collector of Wu’s beautiful, multi-ethnic dolls. For my real work, I “give away” a multitude of self-help skills, for intimacy, conflict resolution, parenting, education, spirituality, creativity, innovation, Creative Edge Organization, and more as described below:

CREATIVE EDGE FOCUSING(tm):  SELF-HELP SKILLS FOR HOME AND WORK

Free Downloads:

Complete Focusing Instructions Manual (17 pages)

“Ajas” Instantaneos Mini-Manual

Creative Edge Focusing (www.cefocusing.com ) teaches two basic self-help skills, Intuitive Focusing and Focused Listening, which can be applied at home and at work through The Creative Edge Focusing Pyramid.

Based upon Gendlin’s Experiential Focusing (www.focusing.org ) and Rogers’ Empathic Listening, our website is packed with Free Resources and instructions in these basic self-help skills. Learn how to build Support Groups, Conscious Relationships, and Creative Edge Organizations based upon these basic skills of emotional intelligence.

You can try out    “Focusing: Find Out What Is Bothering You.”

Click here to subscribe to Creative Edge Focusing(TM)’s  Instant “Ahah!” e-newsletter and get the latest exercises first!!! 

Click here for a free Intuitive Focusing Mini-Course

Click here for a free Focused Listening Mini-Course

 See  Core Concept: Conflict Resolution to find a complete mini-course on Interpersonal Focusing and Conflict Resolution, including Rosenberg’s Non-Violent Communication, Blanchard’s “One Minute Apology,” Patricia Evan’s books on Verbally Abuse and Controlling Relationships, McMahon’s Beyond The Myth Of Dominance, and much more.

See  Core Concept: Intimate Relationship to find a complete mini-course on increasing intimacy and sexuality, including the “Sharing Your Day” exercise, Listening/Focusing Partnerships for The Way of Relationship, untangling and equalizing desire, tantric sexuality, and much more.

Download complete Instant “Ahah!” Mini-Manual, in English and Spanish, from CEF Website, or download from links at top of this blog.

Find links to free articles, personality tests, multi-media Self-Help training, Classes and workshops

Dr. Kathy McGuire, Director

Creative Edge Focusing (TM)

www.cefocusing.com

WU FASHION ROYALTY DOLL CHINESE NEW YEAR PHOTOS CLICK

By , February 21, 2009 2:59 pm

Fashion Royalty dolls by Jason Wu, designer of Michelle Obama’s Inauguration ball gown, celebrate Chinese New Years with Fashion Loft furnishing. Wu was the first to present a full line of beautifully sculpted multi-ethnic 11 1/2 inch fashion dolls. Except for Kyori’s black kimono with cranes, kimonos are largely borrowed from Yue Sae Wa Wa dolls. Tiny authentic food comes from the Re-Ment company.

In her work life, Dr. Kathy McGuire offers all kinds of free resources for learning self-help skills which apply at home and at work: intimacy, conflict resolution, parenting, education, organizations, community building, spirituality, creativity, personal growth. See below for free downloads and links to more at Creative Edge Focusing(TM)’s website, www.cefocusing.com

CREATIVE EDGE FOCUSING(tm):  SELF-HELP SKILLS FOR HOME AND WORK

Free Downloads:

Complete Focusing Instructions Manual (17 pages)

“Ajas” Instantaneos Mini-Manual

Creative Edge Focusing (www.cefocusing.com ) teaches two basic self-help skills, Intuitive Focusing and Focused Listening, which can be applied at home and at work through The Creative Edge Focusing Pyramid.

Based upon Gendlin’s Experiential Focusing (www.focusing.org ) and Rogers’ Empathic Listening, our website is packed with Free Resources and instructions in these basic self-help skills. Learn how to build Support Groups, Conscious Relationships, and Creative Edge Organizations based upon these basic skills of emotional intelligence.

You can try out    “Focusing: Find Out What Is Bothering You.”

Click here to subscribe to Creative Edge Focusing(TM)’s  Instant “Ahah!” e-newsletter and get the latest exercises first!!! 

Click here for a free Intuitive Focusing Mini-Course

Click here for a free Focused Listening Mini-Course

 See  Core Concept: Conflict Resolution to find a complete mini-course on Interpersonal Focusing and Conflict Resolution, including Rosenberg’s Non-Violent Communication, Blanchard’s “One Minute Apology,” Patricia Evan’s books on Verbally Abuse and Controlling Relationships, McMahon’s Beyond The Myth Of Dominance, and much more.

See  Core Concept: Intimate Relationship to find a complete mini-course on increasing intimacy and sexuality, including the “Sharing Your Day” exercise, Listening/Focusing Partnerships for The Way of Relationship, untangling and equalizing desire, tantric sexuality, and much more.

Download complete Instant “Ahah!” Mini-Manual, in English and Spanish, from CEF Website, or download from links at top of this blog.

Find links to free articles, personality tests, multi-media Self-Help training, Classes and workshops

Dr. Kathy McGuire, Director

Creative Edge Focusing (TM)

www.cefocusing.com

JASON WU FASHION ROYALTY DOLL COMPLETE PHOTO WEBSITE

By , January 25, 2009 4:34 pm

Someone has sent me a link to a website giving photos of the complete line of Fashion Royalty and other dolls by Jason Wu, designer of Michele Obama’s Inaugural gown: http://woodsky.free.fr/LBX/listeFR.html  This is fabulous. You can see them all, huge variety, multi-ethnic, wonderful fashions. Of course, Jason Wu’s line for humans is at www.jasonwustudio.com .

Along with Integrity Toys, Jason Wu has held up the banner for multi-ethnic dolls, and thus multi-ethnic people, for years. He deserves to be an overnight sensation.

CREATIVE EDGE FOCUSING(tm):  SELF-HELP SKILLS FOR HOME AND WORK

Here’s my more serious life’s work, spreading self-help skills of “human literacy.”

Free Downloads:

Complete Focusing Instructions Manual (17 pages)

“Ajas” Instantaneos Mini-Manual

Creative Edge Focusing (www.cefocusing.com ) teaches two basic self-help skills, Intuitive Focusing and Focused Listening, which can be applied at home and at work through The Creative Edge Focusing Pyramid.

Based upon Gendlin’s Experiential Focusing (www.focusing.org ) and Rogers’ Empathic Listening, our website is packed with Free Resources and instructions in these basic self-help skills. Learn how to build Support Groups, Conscious Relationships, and Creative Edge Organizations based upon these basic skills of emotional intelligence.

You can try out “Focusing: Find Out What Is Bothering You.”

Click here to subscribe to Creative Edge Focusing(TM)’s  Instant “Ahah!” e-newsletter and get the latest exercises first!!! Today’s blog is part of the year-long e-course offered through the Instant “Ahah!” e-newsletter.

Click here for a free Intuitive Focusing Mini-Course

Click here for a free Focused Listening Mini-Course

 See Core Concept: Conflict Resolution to find a complete mini-course on Interpersonal Focusing and Conflict Resolution, including Rosenberg’s Non-Violent Communication, Blanchard’s “One Minute Apology,” Patricia Evan’s books on Verbally Abuse and Controlling Relationships, McMahon’s Beyond The Myth Of Dominance, and much more.

See Core Concept: Intimate Relationship to find a complete mini-course on increasing intimacy and sexuality, including the “Sharing Your Day” exercise, Listening/Focusing Partnerships for The Way of Relationship, untangling and equalizing desire, tantric sexuality, and much more.

Download complete Instant “Ahah!” Mini-Manual, in English and Spanish, from CEF Website, or download from links at top of this blog.

Find links to free articles, personality tests, multi-media Self-Help training, Classes and workshops

Dr. Kathy McGuire, Director

Creative Edge Focusing (TM)

www.cefocusing.com

MICHELLE OBAMA DESIGNER JASON WU: MULTI-ETHNIC FASHION ROYALTY DOLLS

By , January 25, 2009 3:47 pm
African American Adele

African American Adele

Caucasion Veronique
Caucasion Veronique
Hispanic Natalia
Hispanic Natalia
Multi-ethnic Wu Fashion Royalty dolls
Multi-ethnic Wu Fashion Royalty dolls
East Indian Isha

East Indian Isha

Asian Kyori

Asian Kyori

Teaming up with Integrity Toys, Jason Wu has produced the first line of 12-inch fashion dolls with authentic multi-ethnic face sculpts. While Barbie has long come in “black” and “white” versions, the face sculpt was the same, only the color varying. Byron Lars, first African American designer for Mattel’s Barbie, did produce some more authentic African American Barbie dolls with luscious fashions mixing African tribal dress with the fashion runway. But Jason Wu remains king in terms of authentic facial sculpting.

Constantly varying hair, makeup, skin tone, and sometimes the facial sculpts themselves, Wu has produced gorgeous Caucasion, African American, Hispanic, East Indian, and Asian Fashion Royalty dolls. See www.fashionroyalty.com to find dealers for recent dolls and ebay to find sold-out earlier dolls.

CREATIVE EDGE FOCUSING(tm):  SELF-HELP SKILLS FOR HOME AND WORK

Here’s my more serious life’s work, spreading self-help skills of “human literacy.”

Free Downloads:

Complete Focusing Instructions Manual (17 pages)

“Ajas” Instantaneos Mini-Manual

Creative Edge Focusing (www.cefocusing.com ) teaches two basic self-help skills, Intuitive Focusing and Focused Listening, which can be applied at home and at work through The Creative Edge Focusing Pyramid.

Based upon Gendlin’s Experiential Focusing (www.focusing.org ) and Rogers’ Empathic Listening, our website is packed with Free Resources and instructions in these basic self-help skills. Learn how to build Support Groups, Conscious Relationships, and Creative Edge Organizations based upon these basic skills of emotional intelligence.

You can try out “Focusing: Find Out What Is Bothering You.”

Click here to subscribe to Creative Edge Focusing(TM)’s  Instant “Ahah!” e-newsletter and get the latest exercises first!!! Today’s blog is part of the year-long e-course offered through the Instant “Ahah!” e-newsletter.

Click here for a free Intuitive Focusing Mini-Course

Click here for a free Focused Listening Mini-Course

 See Core Concept: Conflict Resolution to find a complete mini-course on Interpersonal Focusing and Conflict Resolution, including Rosenberg’s Non-Violent Communication, Blanchard’s “One Minute Apology,” Patricia Evan’s books on Verbally Abuse and Controlling Relationships, McMahon’s Beyond The Myth Of Dominance, and much more.

See Core Concept: Intimate Relationship to find a complete mini-course on increasing intimacy and sexuality, including the “Sharing Your Day” exercise, Listening/Focusing Partnerships for The Way of Relationship, untangling and equalizing desire, tantric sexuality, and much more.

Download complete Instant “Ahah!” Mini-Manual, in English and Spanish, from CEF Website, or download from links at top of this blog.

Find links to free articles, personality tests, multi-media Self-Help training, Classes and workshops

Dr. Kathy McGuire, Director

Creative Edge Focusing (TM)

www.cefocusing.com

OBAMA DESIGNER JASON WU: FASHION ROYALTY DOLL PREMIERE PHOTOS

By , January 25, 2009 2:37 pm
Wu Exclusive "Flame Rouge" Fashion Royalty Doll
Wu Exclusive “Flame Rouge” Fashion Royalty Doll
Premiere Edition Fashion Royalty Dolls
Premiere Edition Fashion Royalty Dolls
Wu's Premiere Veronique Fashion Royalty doll
Wu’s Premiere Veronique Fashion Royalty doll
Wu Premiere "Close Up" Adele
Wu Premiere “Close Up” Adele
Premiere Wu "Lush Life" Dressed Doll
Premiere Wu “Lush Life” Dressed Doll
Wu "Mauve Absolut" Fashion Royalty Doll
Wu “Mauve Absolut” Fashion Royalty Doll
Wu Fashion Royalty (right) compared to Barbie (left)
Wu Fashion Royalty (right) compared to Barbie (left)
Wu Adele (right) compared to Barbie (left)
Wu Adele (right) compared to Barbie (left)

Finding early outlet for his design talent and aspirations by winning Barbie doll fashion design contests at age 16, Jason Wu went on to develop his own line of 12-inch multi-ethnic Fashion Royalty dolls.Here you see the earliest Fashion Royalty 12-inch dolls released by Jason Wu, designer of Michele Obama’s inaugural gown (see www.jasonwustudio.com for human collections!), and Integrity Toys (www.integritytoys.com) in 2003.

Causing a huge stir, the dolls were immediately sold out and tripled in  price (and more!) on ebay. Limited to 500-1000 dolls (Barbie editions = 50,000 plus!) with exquisite facial sculpts, fabrics, and detailing. Mattel’s Barbie has gone through complete revision in an attempt to “catch up.”  I have included some comparisons between equivalent Barbie Silkstone and Fashion Royalty dolls.

If you want to own a little bit of Jason Wu fashion yourself, you can search for Fashion Royalty Doll on ebay (category Dolls and Bears) for early dolls or see dealers listed at www.fashionroyalty.com . I can recommend Pat Feick at http://patspotpourri.com.

CREATIVE EDGE FOCUSING(tm):  SELF-HELP SKILLS FOR HOME AND WORK

Here’s my more serious life’s work, spreading self-help skills of “human literacy.”

Free Downloads:

Complete Focusing Instructions Manual (17 pages)

“Ajas” Instantaneos Mini-Manual

Creative Edge Focusing (www.cefocusing.com ) teaches two basic self-help skills, Intuitive Focusing and Focused Listening, which can be applied at home and at work through The Creative Edge Focusing Pyramid.

Based upon Gendlin’s Experiential Focusing (www.focusing.org ) and Rogers’ Empathic Listening, our website is packed with Free Resources and instructions in these basic self-help skills. Learn how to build Support Groups, Conscious Relationships, and Creative Edge Organizations based upon these basic skills of emotional intelligence.

You can try out “Focusing: Find Out What Is Bothering You.”

Click here to subscribe to Creative Edge Focusing(TM)’s  Instant “Ahah!” e-newsletter and get the latest exercises first!!! Today’s blog is part of the year-long e-course offered through the Instant “Ahah!” e-newsletter.

Click here for a free Intuitive Focusing Mini-Course

Click here for a free Focused Listening Mini-Course

 See Core Concept: Conflict Resolution to find a complete mini-course on Interpersonal Focusing and Conflict Resolution, including Rosenberg’s Non-Violent Communication, Blanchard’s “One Minute Apology,” Patricia Evan’s books on Verbally Abuse and Controlling Relationships, McMahon’s Beyond The Myth Of Dominance, and much more.

See Core Concept: Intimate Relationship to find a complete mini-course on increasing intimacy and sexuality, including the “Sharing Your Day” exercise, Listening/Focusing Partnerships for The Way of Relationship, untangling and equalizing desire, tantric sexuality, and much more.

Download complete Instant “Ahah!” Mini-Manual, in English and Spanish, from CEF Website, or download from links at top of this blog.

Find links to free articles, personality tests, multi-media Self-Help training, Classes and workshops

Dr. Kathy McGuire, Director

Creative Edge Focusing (TM)

www.cefocusing.com

JASON WU: MICHELE OBAMA AND FASHION ROYALTY DOLLS!!!

By , January 21, 2009 1:52 pm

 

 

Fashion Royalty Kyori

Fashion Royalty Kyori

Young and modern Erin
Young and modern Erin
All "dolled up" for party

All "dolled up" for party

This is just a funny thing, but Jason Wu, designer of Michelle Obama’s beautiful Inaugural ball gown, started at age 16 as a winner of fashion design contests for Mattel’s Barbie doll, then, with

www.integritytoys.com , started his own line of 12 inch fashion dolls, the multi-ethnic Fashion Royalty dolls (view the various collections in the archives at www.fashionroyalty.com ).

These dolls took the collectibles world by storm, with faces beautifully and accurately sculpted by Wu — African American Adele, Caucasion Veronique, Asian Kyori, later an East Indian Bollywood beauty and Hispanic doll, and many more. Wu was famous immediately for his beautifully-crafted doll fashions, fabulous fabrics, completely lined, snap and eyelet closings (instead of Barbie’s velcro), embroidery, fine detailing in buttons, darts, gathers.

Besides his authentically sculpted multi-ethnic females, Wu added a line of stunning male dolls of a variety of ethnicities, also with cutting edge fashions.

Wu and company also designed furnishing for the Fashion Royalty Loft collection.

Story line: Competing Fashion Agencies go for blood.

Mattel and Barbie fought back with their own Fashion Model line, but nothing beat the very limited (initially 100-500 per doll) and highly sought-after Fashion Royalty dolls (early editions completely sold out in pre-sales, sight unseen, and immediately tripled in value in Ebay resales).

Wu began making celebrity dolls, starting with his Ru Paul series. Recently, he bought the struggling Gene Marshall line from Ashton Drake, and, with designer Mel Odom, revitalized Gene with updated facial sculpts and fashions. Gene Marshall was the first 16 inch collectible fashion doll, a “1940’s actress starring in many roles in her story line.” Marshall also now has multi-ethnic friends.

About three years ago, Wu moved into human-size fashion design, and he has been featured in Vogue magazine several times. He has designed costumes for the ballet in New York, has a following among actresses and models, and, now, at age 26, has dressed the First Lady of America on her most important evening!

Hooray for Jason Wu and Integrity Toys, which has been creating authentic multi-ethnic dolls for many years.

CREATIVE EDGE FOCUSING(tm):  SELF-HELP SKILLS FOR HOME AND WORK

Here’s my more serious life’s work, spreading self-help skills of “human literacy.”

Free Downloads:

Complete Focusing Instructions Manual (17 pages)

“Ajas” Instantaneos Mini-Manual

Creative Edge Focusing (www.cefocusing.com ) teaches two basic self-help skills, Intuitive Focusing and Focused Listening, which can be applied at home and at work through The Creative Edge Focusing Pyramid.

Based upon Gendlin’s Experiential Focusing (www.focusing.org ) and Rogers’ Empathic Listening, our website is packed with Free Resources and instructions in these basic self-help skills. Learn how to build Support Groups, Conscious Relationships, and Creative Edge Organizations based upon these basic skills of emotional intelligence.

You can try out “Focusing: Find Out What Is Bothering You.”

Click here to subscribe to Creative Edge Focusing(TM)’s  Instant “Ahah!” e-newsletter and get the latest exercises first!!! Today’s blog is part of the year-long e-course offered through the Instant “Ahah!” e-newsletter.

Click here for a free Intuitive Focusing Mini-Course

Click here for a free Focused Listening Mini-Course

 See Core Concept: Conflict Resolution to find a complete mini-course on Interpersonal Focusing and Conflict Resolution, including Rosenberg’s Non-Violent Communication, Blanchard’s “One Minute Apology,” Patricia Evan’s books on Verbally Abuse and Controlling Relationships, McMahon’s Beyond The Myth Of Dominance, and much more.

See Core Concept: Intimate Relationship to find a complete mini-course on increasing intimacy and sexuality, including the “Sharing Your Day” exercise, Listening/Focusing Partnerships for The Way of Relationship, untangling and equalizing desire, tantric sexuality, and much more.

Download complete Instant “Ahah!” Mini-Manual, in English and Spanish, from CEF Website, or download from links at top of this blog.

Find links to free articles, personality tests, multi-media Self-Help training, Classes and workshops

Dr. Kathy McGuire, Director

Creative Edge Focusing (TM)

www.cefocusing.com

TRANSFORMATIVE EXPERIENCES THROUGH VIDEO AND MUSIC: WINGED MIGRATION AND MISSA SOLEMNIS

By , January 19, 2009 12:10 am

Just watched again Jacques Perrin’s wonderful DVD, Winged Migration. Beautiful live photography of many different flocks of birds migrating from Africa to the Arctic and back again, the realities of their confrontations with industrialized civilization, and magnificent musical score as transcendent background.  The migrations represent “the hope and promise of return,” the cycle of life.

Also just downloaded the MP3 version of   Beethoven’s Missa Solemnis, the Otto Klemperer version from the 1970’s, Digital Remaster 2001, Elisabeth Soderstrom, soprano from Amazon. Amazingly clear and “present” music and singing, creating a transcendent experience. Downloading to ITunes or Windows Media Player is least expensive way to get this classic from EMI, about $9.95.

I’ve also ordered the Leonard Bernstein version, Concertgebouw Orchestra, Amsterdam,  on CD. $11.98

CREATIVE EDGE FOCUSING(tm):  SELF-HELP SKILLS FOR HOME AND WORK

Creative Edge Focusing (www.cefocusing.com ) teaches two basic self-help skills, Intuitive Focusing and Focused Listening, which can be applied at home and at work through The Creative Edge Focusing Pyramid.

Based upon Gendlin’s Experiential Focusing (www.focusing.org ) and Rogers’ Empathic Listening, our website is packed with Free Resources and instructions in these basic self-help skills. Learn how to build Support Groups, Conscious Relationships, and Creative Edge Organizations based upon these basic skills of emotional intelligence.

You can try out “Focusing: Find Out What Is Bothering You.”

Click here to subscribe to Creative Edge Focusing(TM)’s  Instant “Ahah!” e-newsletter and get the latest exercises first!!! Today’s blog is part of the year-long e-course offered through the Instant “Ahah!” e-newsletter.

Click here for a free Intuitive Focusing Mini-Course

Click here for a free Focused Listening Mini-Course

 See Core Concept: Conflict Resolution to find a complete mini-course on Interpersonal Focusing and Conflict Resolution, including Rosenberg’s Non-Violent Communication, Blanchard’s “One Minute Apology,” Patricia Evan’s books on Verbally Abuse and Controlling Relationships, McMahon’s Beyond The Myth Of Dominance, and much more.

See Core Concept: Intimate Relationship to find a complete mini-course on increasing intimacy and sexuality, including the “Sharing Your Day” exercise, Listening/Focusing Partnerships for The Way of Relationship, untangling and equalizing desire, tantric sexuality, and much more.

Download complete Instant “Ahah!” Mini-Manual, in English and Spanish, from CEF Website, or download from links at top of this blog.

Find links to free articles, personality tests, multi-media Self-Help training, Classes and workshops

Dr. Kathy McGuire, Director

Creative Edge Focusing (TM)

www.cefocusing.com

WWW.CHANGE.ORG: VOTE FOR TOP TEN AGENDAS FOR OBAMA ADMINISTRATION, INCLUDING DEPARTMENT OF PEACE, EMPATHY INITIATIVE, SUSTAINABILITY, ETC.

By , January 12, 2009 3:31 pm

Deadline: January 15, so please go now to www.change.org , register, and then Vote for your top ten agendas to be given to Obama at his inauguration and carried through throughout the years.

International votes are accepted, so have an influence on US public policy from abroad!!!!!

I am especially excited about the Empathic Communication initiative, which will mandate instruction in empathic , non-violent communication vs. aggression at all levels of government and diplomacy. It’s number 14, and needs 600 votes to get into the top ten! 

It is sponsored by the Center for Non-Violent Communication (www.cnvc.org ), has the backing of The Focusing Institute (www.focusing.org ) and Creative Edge Focusing (www.cefocusing.com ) where I teach empathic, Focused Listening  and Intuitive Focusing as self-help skills which can be used at home, in the community, and at work to enhance communication and creative, innovative, win/win problem solving.

And this Empathy/Non-Violent Communication Initiative would take place within a Department of Peace at the cabinet level!

Please go to www.change.org and vote for the Department of Peace and for the Empathy Initiative and eight other agenda items you want to see the Obama Administration address!

Download complete Instant “Ahah!” Mini-Manual, in English and Spanish, from CEF Website, or download from links at top of this blog.

Find links to free articles, personality tests, multi-media Self-Help training, Classes and workshops

Free Downloads:

Complete Focusing Instructions Manual (17 pages)

“Ajas” Instantaneos Mini-Manual

Dr. Kathy McGuire, Director

Creative Edge Focusing (TM)

www.cefocusing.com

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