Quotes

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SEEDS INTO THE WIND: One Thousand Days of Timeless Wisdom

Order NOW for Christmas presents!! 
  

NEW! From the author of Twisted By The Wind. SEEDS INTO THE WIND is a collection of over one thousand inspirational, motivational, witty and sometimes humorous quotations selected from “Here’s Your Pearl of the Day® from Tom Hays”, a daily “thought starter” email sent to subscribers and featured on selected websites for over fourteen years. The book features quotations from famous and infamous thinkers throughout history to the present day. Readers are encouraged to. each day. choose a random number between one and one thousand, look up that numbered quotation in the book and see what "Pearl of Wisdom" fate brings them that day.

List Price: $12.95   https://www.amazon.com/dp/0692262466 

5.5" x 8.5" (13.97 x 21.59 cm) 
Black & White on White paper
160 pages

Postwood Press
ISBN-13: 978-0692262467 (Custom)
ISBN-10: 0692262466
BISAC: Philosophy / Ethics & Moral Philosophy   

Minister vs. Preacher

From the book Twisted by the Wind by Tom Hays

I don't know where this “ministry” will eventually lead.  I only know that I have a calling, and I have to follow … wherever it leads.  Presently, I feel it is to provide enlightenment and encouragement to others around me; to somehow have a positive influence on their daily life, to open doors of understanding, and compassion.

It is not important to me what your particular religious or spiritual beliefs are, nor do I want to make you believe mine.  The important thing is we both have them, and there are probably many more similarities than differences.  I happen to feel that a superior power, known by many names, including God, resides within us and can be called upon at any time. 

To me, being a good or "Christian" person is not so much about "talking the talk" as it is about "walking the walk".  It is a way to live life, some variation of the golden rule, wherein we live in such a way that we treat others the way they would like to be treated ... and to not let them change us when they don't do the same for us.

My prayer is to be able to find ways to live a better life, with more kindness, more compassion, more understanding, more fulfillment and more smiles.  I ask the Great Spirit for those things, for me, and for you.

- Reverend Tom -

Ben Had the Music Up Loud

From an upcoming new book by Tom Hays

    Ben had been alone in a monastery for five years and back home in Oklahoma only a short while when he decided to move to Arizona.  He liked the desert.  He liked the mysticism of the people who had inhabited the place before, way before, who lived in caves and crude dwellings but had somehow figured out how to live on the harsh land and get along with the spirits and powers that inhabited the area along with them.  Thousands of years of human history laid bare, open to discovery and study.

The good vibes, given off by the rocks, the soil and the spirits of the ancients, filled the desert air.  Ben felt them calling him, and he and his soul mate settled in and started calling it home.

Home was a pueblo style, adobe house in a sparse desert suburban area.  A large area had been cleared for a patio, surrounded by a low adobe wall, high enough to perhaps keep the javelinas out but the more agile coyotes could come and go at will.  Ben had seen them walking atop six foot walls, so he knew any attempt to keep them out was futile.

Tonight was a dinner party with two other couples, good friends with an equal love for the desert, its plants and folklore.  Never mind that the days had been running 109 to 112, it was summer and expected.  Ben was in a good mood and looking forward to the get together.  He had volunteered to make the homemade Mexican vanilla ice cream, grill the pork tenderloin and prepare his famous salsa to serve over the sliced meat.  Life was good.

Ben had the music up loud, grooving on Steely Dan’s phenomenal bass licks.  Even Albert the cat was tapping his paw in time with the beat, eyes closed and laying next to the stone fireplace. There was harmony playing nearby, the sounds of the ice cream maker churning away in the background, just outside the patio door, seemed to compliment the music, as if it too was coming from the sound system.  The tenderloin had been seasoned with the rub and it was anticipating placement on the outdoor grill, and the vegetables were carefully chopped and marinating in the salsa bowl.  Ben was looking forward to a fun evening with friends, unlike the five years of silent aloneness in the monastery. Company was coming, people to talk and laugh with, everything was perfect and Ben’s mood was building higher and higher.

Suddenly, a shot! Then another--and another in quick succession!

Ben quickly turned to face the noise only to see ………. !!!

Tune in next time.

Not For Babies Only...

 As I turned on the water to draw my bath, I glanced at the shelf by the tub lined with bottles of bath oils and lotions, reflecting various colors of the sky, the earth and flowering desert plants.  Many of those bottles were given to me by friends at a birthday party who said, "Be kind to yourself, take a warm, long bath, relax, luxuriate and treat yourself like a baby."  Hmmm...

 I began by dipping my elbow into the bath water to check the temperature.  As I slowly stepped into the water, the warmth of it engulfed my leg, and my foot felt the security of the smooth mat on the bottom.  I lowered myself into the tub and cradled my neck in a soft pillow and breathed in the rising steam scented by a mild eucalyptus oil.  Closing my eyes, covered by a cool eye mask, I consciously relaxed every muscle in my body.  I listened to my deliberate, steady breathing, felt my heart beat ever so slowly and I fell peacefully asleep.

 Upon awakening I ran a hot shower and washed my hair, massaging my scalp with the hardness of my fingernails and the softness of my fingertips, making thick lather.  Using one of my scented soaps and loufa, I washed my body, the roughness of the loufa scrubbing away dead skin, the faint lavender scent of the soap making me feel lusciously clean.

 Stepping out of the bath, I wrapped myself in a large, soft towel, heated by the towel warmer.  As I poured the cool moisturizing lotion into my hands to warm it and smoothed it over my body, I luxuriated in the silky feel it was giving my skin, and it reminded me of the obvious joy a baby feels when rubbed with baby lotion after a warm bath.

 Babies are touched, caressed, massaged, nurtured for a reason.  It gives them a feeling of security, love and acceptance. The human touch is so immensely important, not only to babies, but to all of us.

 Even if we don't have the time or resources to indulge in professional massages, manicures, shampoos, or aromatherapy treatments, there's nothing to keep us from pampering ourselves and recalling those same feelings a baby feels.

 As I dry my hair and dress, I think how I feel nurtured, loved, safe and relaxed, and it makes me recall those same feelings as when I was growing up.  And I'm the one who made me feel this way.  Pamper yourself -- treat yourself like a baby!

Warmly,

Susan Hays

Susan and Tom are coming to Oklahoma this week! Please Come By and Say Hello.

Hi Friends, Susan and I will be in Oklahoma City and Enid this week, and we are very excited to get the chance to see you. Please join us for some fun at one or more of our events, and bring some friends! We will try our best to bring rain. Tom Hays

See You Soon!

Like to paint outdoors?

One of the most fun aspects of searching out and providing content for the Platinum Pearls® web pages is the opportunity to recommend sources that I personally know to be good.

In the case of this DVD, I have worked with two of the three featured artists, Matt Smith and Kenn Backhaus. Both have taught at the artistically prestigious Scottsdale Artists School.

I studied with each of them there, both in the studio and in the desert surround. I can heartily recommend the experience and their instructional abilities.

The first three episodes of Plein Air, Painting the American Landscape feature artists Matt Smith, Jean LeGassick, and Kenn Backhaus as they paint in Alaska. The trio paints Mt. McKinley on a rare, glorious September afternoon complete with a visit from a blonde grizzly.

Next our three artists tackle the Tongass Rain Forest, renowned for towering old growth cedar, hanging moss and incessant rainfall, proving that it takes tenacity, good gear, and considerable know-how to paint in a rain forest.

The last stop is beautiful Resurrection Bay, gateway to Kenai Fjords National Park. With the towering Chugach Mountains as a backdrop, the artists paint in a derelict boatyard.

Historical perspective is provided through the Plein Air paintings created by George Brown while climbing Mt. McKinley as a member of the 1974 Bradford Washburn Mt. McKinley Expedition, and an introduction to Alaskan Plein Air artists and adventurers Eustace Ziegler, Ted Lambert and iconoclastic painter Sidney Laurence whose paintings from the early 1900s have come to epitomize the Alaskan landscape. I can enthusiastically recommend this DVD Plein Air, Painting the American Landscape - Alaska Episodes.

Please visit the Visual Arts pages at http://www.platinumpearls.com/ for more information about painting, photography or your favorite creative outlet.

Become Involved

There is an artist living inside you. Have you ever looked at a ceramic bowl or a hand made piece of jewelry, a needlepoint pillow or a hand carved wooden sculpture and said "Gee, I wish I could do that". Well, you can. You just have to try it.

The fact is, with the right instruction, you will surprise yourself with the creative ability you perhaps did not know you had until you set it free. So often I've heard, "I don't have a creative bone in my body." from someone who goes on to create perfectly charming works of art, because they finally decided to give it a try.

What particular art form has held the most fascination for you? Want to put your hands into some clay? How about some silversmithing, or beading? Working with fibers, making handmade paper or woodworking? The creative options are endless.

Look over the articles on the pages of the Creative Enrichment department at PlatinumPearls.com and see what inspires you. There you can even get help finding an expert instructor in your area. It's your turn to explore. Just do it.

Tell Us About Your Art

by Tom Hays

Now it's your turn! Tell us about your art and the medium in which you work. We welcome and encourage you to send us stories, pictures or videos to share on this site. WHAT DO YOU HAVE YOUR HANDS IN?

Fiber That You Don't Eat

by Tom Hays

If the Neanderthals had invented disco lounges, surely some of the males would have shown up in polyester leisure suits. But the leisure suit and polyester had to wait through thousands and thousands of years of sewing and weaving by hand, using available plant and animal fibers. Then ... the BeeGees showed up.

Now, with the advent of man made fibers and automated machinery, many of the hand fiber skills learned through the years are becoming lost to us. Yet, they can still be both rewarding and very gratifying. Explore the various fiber arts. Sometimes, the natural way is the best way. And, you will be preserving the craft for the generations to come.

You'll Appreciate Jewelry You Make Yourself

by Tom Hays

Making jewelry and other items from metal is truly fascinating. It combines a number of skills, most of which are fairly simple to learn, along with some science and a lot of possibilities for art. Get out the jewelry pliers, tiny saw blades and the Dremel, put on your magnifying visor, and suddenly you are in a private world, where you craft a beautiful silver piece or mount a precious stone on a ring of your own design. Jump in! Sign up with a local instructor.

Beyond Playdough

by Tom Hays

Working with clay can be very gratifying. It is one of the earliest crafts humans learned, and it still holds an almost primal appeal. Put your hands on some wet clay, work it around a little, and you will see.



This creative, Anasazi inspired container came from the
imagination of a first time pottery student.


The school of "Jurassic Trout" were easy to make, and a "whale" of a lot of fun.








We all are creative. Working with clay or ceramics is one more way to excercise your creative side. Give it a try. Let that child out to play!

Working With Wood

My grandfather would sit for hours and whittle. Sometimes I would join him on the porch and try my hand. I made a lot of pointed sticks, while he was crafting intricate parts that became violins. We both enjoyed the time.

The smell of freshly cut wood is captivating. Use a tiny cutting blade, a fancy radial saw, or a chain saw, whatever appeals to you. They are all better than the rock tools our ancestors had to use, and they managed to build some pretty neat wooden stuff.

If I Had a Dollar For Every Time I Have Used This Book, I Would Be Writing This in Napa Valley

Pat Pattison is a professor of music and songwriting at the Berklee College of Music in Boston, where he developed the curriculum for their degree in songwriting--the first of its kind anywhere. He was a regular contributor to Home and Studio Recording Magazine. He lives in North Hampton, New Hampshire.

I first met Pat in Nashville. I was living and writing there for awhile, and Pat would come down from the Boston area and spend his summers in Nashville, working with some of the great songwriters in the area, as well as teaching seminars. We had mutual friends, and soon I was visiting his summer house on a weekly basis, at the foot of the master. He is a joy to work with.

In this book, Pat presents a unique, in-depth approach to the process of lyric writing. Apprentice songwriters will examine 17 extraordinary songs and learn the distinct elements that make them so effective. Pattison then presents more than 30 lyric-writing exercises designed to help them achieve the same results. From generating lyric ideas and managing repetition to developing verses, it's all here. Songwriters will:

* find warm-up exercises that revolutionize songwriting imagery

* use a rhyming dictionary and a thesaurus to generate ideas and find snappy rhymes

* create meaningful metaphors and similes while avoiding clichés

* develop verses by using or by breaking conventional rules

* experiment with point of view in every lyric to make a song stand out.

Buy Now - Writing Better Lyrics

For more music tips, visit http://www.platinumpearls.com/ and search out the "Music Picks" page. Or, if you are really into songwriting, click on http://www.barkingfrogmusic.com/. In any event, keep listening, keep writing, keep it fresh.

We Are All Artists, Some Still Looking For Our Medium

A very important part of living a more fulfilling life is the exploration of your creative self to release the imaginative potential awaiting there.

Many people have gone through life never stepping outside the traces of humdrum everyday activities long enough to find out who they really are, creatively speaking. You may have harbored urges to "someday" spend more time on that dream of becoming and living more artistically, but have never taken the time to actually do it. Well, someday just started, so get busy.

You may have an art or craft that you are already involved in. If so, good for you! Hopefully, on the PlatinumPearls.com pages you will find information that will inspire you to a higher level of creativity and satisfaction in your art.

If if have not ventured into the arts environment before, come and find out what you have been missing. You will discover the many rewards of your "time away from the real world". Working just a few hours each week at your favorite artistic release will soon become mini-vacations that refresh and relax you, and clear your mind from the work-a-day clutter.

Just choose something that appeals to you and go for it. Everyone started as a beginner, and you'll find a lot of interesting people willing to help you every step of the way.

For example, "Painting Word Pictures" a Platinum Pearls® workshop, focuses on writing creatively. Strong sensory images can make your writing or lyrics sparkle. The workshop helps you learn how to tap into an endless well of creative imagery.

"Music Picks" takes you into the world of music, writing, playing or just listening and enjoying.

The pages of "Create It Yourself " are your pathway to a host of creative endeavors including pottery, jewelry and metalsmithing, woodworking, carving, and fiber and needle arts, and there is more to come.

If you are into the visual arts of photography, painting or video creation, the spot for you is our "Visual Arts" section, which we hope to expand soon to encompass graphic design and sculpture.

We'd like you to consider sharing information, ideas, helpful tips or sources for your favorite creative outlet with other PlatinumPearls.com readers and members. After all, we are a community.