Resource Girl

Please if you are drinking tonight, do not drive. Also if you are drinking or doing anything else, please be with people you trust. If under the influence of anything, please don’t go home with people that you don’t know. The Resource Girl knows that there are dangerous people out there. Please love yourself tonight, no matter where you go. Honor yourself, your mind, your body and your spirit. We only have one life to live.

The Resource Girl is in a strange place. Losing a very important love (possibly the most important) in her life, has darkened the view of everything around her. She has always prided herself on being an optimist, right now she is unsure of this position.

Hopefully in January I will be bringing you new insight about this city, reviews of movies or plays, ways to save money and my own personal progress to show that you can make it in this city.

Just a reminder, no matter where you are your problems will follow you. Having travelled a lot I know this. So if you think coming to New York, you can escape your issues, no way, unfortunately many times they will escalate. So if you are planning to come, put some of those problems in their place, before you get here.

I promise that in January I will find something delightful to share, until then please send me your prayers, good vibrations and well wishes.

Happy New Year!

RG

In 2008 I had great hopes for my book and for my love life. Neither thing went the exact direction that I had hoped. The book does sell and I am thankful for everystore, website and friend who has continued to support me in my endeavors. The love left and now I ask myself, where can I put my love. This heart of mine has a great need to give and to contribute. Hopefully in 2009, I will find a place to contribute that is both useful and appreciated. Isn’t that what we are all looking for?

2009 will also be a challenging one for artists. It might be a time when you work really hard to make the green stuff and to look forward to another season for creation. Some people will be fortunate to continue to work at their art. Possibility is always the key here. My lesson for the year has been to explore possibilities and when one thing doesn’t work, to continue to focus on the limitless possibilities. As soon as I know what possibility I will go forward with, I will let you know.

Remember I said I want to keep this site very real. Sometimes I will have good deals for the city. Sometimes I will have advice to share that I believe in. But sometimes it will just be the reality of the situation at hand. I am a gal living in an exciting, challenging city, seeking to find her place in the world that embraces art and at the same time, keeps prosperity and responsibility in focus.

It is a time to celebrate during the Holidays. If you are lucky enough to have a great big family, but you lost your job, think of your family, if you have a great job, but a small family, be happy for the job. These things are easy to say, but I can assure you that trying to be positive beats the opposite of sitting on the couch and not living life. Someone said for all the positive self-help books that I have read, I should always be positive. Positively I can only say, that I continue to try and don’t have the answers, however I do have a lot of resources.

Resources=Hope, take a moment by the fireplace (if you don’t have that, they sell cd’s of the fireplace that you can put on your computer screen) and contemplate what are your resources?

Are you pretty? Do you have food? Is there money in the bank? Are you good at math? Do you have a hobby that could be a job? Do you have a beautiful partner or loving friend?

My newly found skeptic mind (break-ups will do that to you) is seeping in saying, “Well what if you don’t have any of those things? What can you be thankful about?” The thing is, if you are reading this blog entry, you have a computer. Start with that. Let’s say it together. “I love my computer. I am thankful I have a computer.” And you know what, I love my HP Pavilion dv7-11 35nr 17″. I really do.

Feeling better already!

Wishing everyone a Very Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! I love hearing from you, so keep the comments coming in.

RG

Right now I have a ton of work. Thanks be to God!

Right now I have a ton of tears.

But as someone said the other day, “It beats being six feet under!”

RG

Today I worked outside.

RG

Eradic weather, reoccuring themes, deep movies, discouraging news, the world upside down…what is an artist to do? In the mail tonight I received a booklet for The Pratt Institute, an art school here in NYC, and I asked myself, would it be frivolous to study art in a time of recession, possibly soon to be depression? This question constantly runs through my mind at this difficult time. Particularly in an expensive city, I keep asking myself about the importance of my part in the artistic world. I will never succumb to thinking that art in any of it’s various forms is not important, but I personally am wondering where or how or should or could I contribute as I look at simple economics. This is a choice many will have to make during this time. However don’t dispair, a year or two or three doing something more “responsible” may keep you off the street. Fortunately in a city like this one there is always an opportunity to work for free in a play while mantaining a less than thrilling job during the day.

Tonight I saw Revolutionary Road. No matter what you think about the movie, it is very controversial about a very important and difficult subject, I really believe that Leonardo Dicaprio is going to have an extremely long career. His range in this film was something that was unexpected. Kate Winslet is on a roll as well, but I already thought she was amazing. They are definitely a magical pair. I hope that someone wins something for this film. At times it appears that it was made by Columbia University students, which is in no way derogatory, but it did not feel like it was produced by any major company, even if it was. At times this factor, or feature, I found distracting (particularly the woods scene).

If you go with people you don’t know well, trust me at the end, less mature people could have arguments. I did have the fortune of going with someone who disagrees with me, but at least had the maturity to not take the discussion on. Thankful I was for that, because it is a heartbreaking subject and from the previews, they give no indication that it is coming. Who knows if I would have wanted to see it, had I know.

Oh the coolest thing was it was a free screening from DailyCandy.com, check that out. Oh and I learned about another company today to help you save money. Thanks T! www.8coupons.com. I also know about www.destinationcoupons.com. Thanks E! Looks like I have some very resourceful friends.

Resource Girl tip fo the day: Duncan Doughnut French Vanilla coffee (bought at 9 bucks a bag makes 40 cups), mixed with Swiss Miss Hot Chocolate with Marshmallows, costs less than a dollar versus going to that other place paying 5 bucks!

Happy Holidays,

RG

I was wondering do you think people burn calories crying? Wouldn’t that be great? I would have lost 10 pounds this week.

The Resource Girl is offering her book, “I’m Here, Now What?! An Artist’s Survival Guide for NYC!” at a special recession price. 14 dollars with S&H, signed and sent to you! (I normally sell it for 20 dollars not including S&H)

She is offering 5 copies at this price. First come first serve. Leave a comment on this website with your e-mail address and request for the book and I will contact you.

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays,

RG

Movie moments like these are rare. Acting that is superb, actors you forget are actors and more importantly you forget they are famous. Many times I watch a film and I think about what the tabloids might be saying about them. In this film you don’t think about anything but the “people” they are in the film.

What did I get out of this film? Well I am not going to ruin the story for you, but if you find yourself with love in your life, cherish every last drop of it, because for many reasons, too many to mention, they may not be in your future. Cling to the beauty of the present.

Felice Navidad,

RG

Young designers of clothing and jewelry will be gathering their creations and exhibiting them at Shecky’s Night Out. Saturday tickets are still available for $10 bucks, without gift bag and $30 with gift bag. It is a great gift bag. If you are looking for a nice place to find last minute gifts, there are plenty of unique items there and it is inside!

Up late, can’t go to bed, you know why? I need to burn off the cookies from last night’s cookie party!

Ciao,

RG

New York is very cold.

I am working towards reducing debt and most of that work is outside.

I am very cold, but thankful.

Tonight went to a cookie party, the simple pleasures of a cookie can, in a wierd way, soothe a cold aching heart. Not a bag of cookies because that would create other problems.

If you are having strange feelings around the holidays, don’t isolate. Pick yourself up off the floor and go somewhere and allow the spirit of Christmas to lift your spirits. When a friend invites you somewhere you don’t want to go, go anyway. I promise you will feel better, even if for the moments that you are there.

Peaceful thoughts for the season,

RG

Good news, more books sold this year on Amazon, than last year. More good news my site has received 16,000 hits. I can’t wait anymore in life to celebrate the BIG moments, because they may never come, so I will celebrate the little things along the way.

For some of you, who I know, and others of you who I do not know, thinking about giving at this time of the year and with the economy the way it is, may feel a little difficult. Living in America I know that I have always had more than most people around the world. So next week I will be going through my closet asking myself, “Do I really need 50 t-shirts or 30 pairs of shoes?”, “Do I have enough faith in myself and God to know that I will always be able to have another pair if needed?”, “Do I really live on the principle of give us this day our daily bread?”, and “Can I live one day at at time, knowing that no one can control the future?”

Today I seek to be thankful for the work I have, the things I already have and the abundance I can share with others. Working in promotions you will always have a shirt on your back , even if it is 3 times too big. LOL!

Places to give: Salvation Army, Good Will, Housing Works, Coat Drives at Grand Central and Port Authority (among other places), Dress for Success, your local church or community center, your neighbor in need. Remember to get a tax receipt for your tax deductions.

Happy Holidays,

RG