me me me

i do so much writing i just dont feel inclined to write my blog after (or before) busy busy days... and so this has been neglected. i have been traveling frequently ~ in fact, i leave tomorrow for the bay area again. and go to new york for the first week in may. my paintings have gotten a great reception and i am putting together a nice protfolio of current work. i am picking up the letterpress edition of my second print today. my court case for civil disobedience at the NO H8 rally in long beach last november finally settled. it was pled to an infraction and i got a fine; no jail time, no community service. people have been so supportive of me, i really appreciate it. one wanted to have a fund raiser, a potluck to raise money for my fine. i might still do that ~ its a very sweet idea. if you just want to send money, the address is on my website. i would hope that selling books and prints would help with finances but sales are slow... i have a small small circle that needs to be expanded. spread the word ~ send money, spend money!!!

spend money: http://royanthonyshabla.com

poisoning

in my newsletter the first of the year, i cautioned people to beware of poisoning. have a good diet, find a way to do a cleanse... and after the newsletter, there were several incidents of poisoning: salmonella outbreaks in most states, mercury poisoning by a famous actor, and also small local poisonings -- some from nutritional supplements. in my newsletter for the chinese new year, i again cautioned about poisoning. lawsuits about heperin poisoning are coming public, blowfish sushi poisoning in japan... and there have been incidents of tainted water, other food poisonings, etc etc etc. this is something that will continue for the year. yet people never think im talking about them. and yet i am.

for other prediciton for the new year, see my newsletters. http://blesstheworld.com

whirlwind life

i havent blogged because it has been a whirlwind of a time recently. and it will only get worse. i have been moving all the furniture in my house to different rooms. the feng shui for this year is dynamic and i want to make use of it. last week was art week in la -- bob and i went to the fairs... and this week was my birthday and the chinese new year -- celebrations galore! next week is the pottery show in pasadena (and i will have an out-of-town guest in my new guest room)... then i am on the road. i will only be home two days (to teach feng shui workshops) from february 12 to march 2... traveling to the bay area and dallas and back to the bay area. say a little prayer for me!

i have been writing like crazy (until i just cant even think of another word) for the new website. we are behind schedule but doing really well. we had wanted to be ready at the new year but i think we should make it by the vernal equinox which would be fine. i cant go any faster. my webgirl cant go any faster. details on all this stuff later. not pretty.

and i am working on a letterpress print. and i am trying to paint. its a wonder i have time to breathe!

when i return from the travels, i will have another guest in my new guest room. if things dont get done (the kitchen is being ripped out next week by the way) and i get to relax, i will be a guest somewhere... like the mental hospital in norwalk.

peace and graffiti

i wrote my newsletter about peace before israel attacked the palestinians in the gaza strip. the vibe of war must have been in the air. i had also stepped up the peace graffiti, venturing into new areas of los angeles ~ wifey was picking up cookies from a bakery on la cienega and saw my graffiti; i had been able to place a GREAT MINDS sticker next to a sticker of robbie conals. i have admired his work for many years and was proud to be next to him.

the night israel began bombing the gaza, someone stole two peace posters, yard signs, from my front yard. like i said, the vibe of war must have been in the air. those yard signs had been in my parkway for eight months.

i teach meditation at busters in culver city on wednesday evenings. recently, i have been arriving early to do some chalk graffiti in front of the shop. some of it is advertising... much of it is peace on earth. this week, while i was writing "world harmony" with the "o" in "world" made as a peace symbol, a security guard from a local business, as she was walking by, said to me: " nice handwriting." it seems, even the peace keepers have no interest in peace.

those who have read my new book, (peace) words, have loved it. maybe we just need the whole world to read it... shepard fairey sent me a bunch of his stickers for the holidays. im using some of them as part of an altered, limited edition of the new book. graffiti and peace bring all kinds of people together and im proud to participate in the movement with so many wonderful people.

for peace shirts, graffiti stickers, and my books: http://royanthonyshabla.com

jerry brown

jerry brown must be reading my blog. his article in the los angeles times on saturday outlined my thoughts on proposition 8. he may have fleshed out the thesis a bit but nevertheless it was mine. mine mine mine. the idea that a popular vote can remove constitutional rights is unconstitutional. a basic tenet of the constitution is that the rights of minorities must be upheld. if there are two green people, you cannot by popular vote restrict their constituional rights because there are only two green people to vote for themselves. and the ignorant, self-righteous christians are legion. way unfair. but jerry will look after it all. im so glad hes come out of hibernation. now if he would only get back together with linda ronstadt. and join obama in the white house!

for no on prop 8 t-shirts, stickers, pins: http://royanthonyshabla.com

its the end of the world

its the end of the world as we know it...

people are afraid. the economy is bad: stocks, houses, cars... retail ~ all in the toilet.

clients are telling me its the worst year of their lives.

i, on the other hand, wrote two wonderful books this year. i finished my wonderful handmade book. i have finished a couple poetry films, working on another. i now have my poetry on bottles of wine. and my graffiti is on a line of t-shirts which everyone loves.

i am teaching two meditation classes a week instead of one.

i have wonderful clients who adore me, wonderful friends who love me. my daughter is more and more of a delight in my life. and my family isnt misbehaving (much).

i employ more people than i did last year. and im happier with my employees than i was last year.

yes these are difficult times. like death, this is something that happens. i think we all have to ask ourselves: did we really enjoy the good times? or did we waste them and much of the fear now is really regret? i count my blessings in the good times and the bad. and i am really blessed.

blog on blogging

arianna huffington was on tavis smiley tonight. she was on charlie rose last week. she is promoting her new book about blogging. she looked beautiful, spoke intelligently, and was very sweet. and the script was almost identical on each show.

i met arianna huffington at a day spa in the valley many years ago. she was a regular client, i had an office there. we only said hello and im sure she has no recollection of the event but i have followed her press ever since. and im sure it is that meeting that stimulated her blossoming in the world. she has come a long way since then.

annie leibovitz was also on tavis. she also has a new book. i never met her but i think she would be great to have a glass of wine with. she was unpolished and real. i wish her segment could have been longer -- to let the artist reveal the art... but im sure she will be on charlie rose soon... if he can ever get done with politics and the economy.

i bet charlie rose would be great to have a glass of wine with too... but he would do all the talking and im not so good at listening. oh well. im sure the wine would be good.