"Starscapes & Typography" [no.# 5-6]

Keeping with my practice of regularly posting my original nameplate illustrations, once they are complete & scanned into my computer, I'd like to present two new additions to my "STARSCAPES & TYPOGRAPHY" series. In presenting these design illustrations, I'd like also to speak briefly of the persons for which my art was designed, because it is often these recipients who have had and continue to have a profound impact on my life today. They deserve the gift of art, and I hope that they will cherish these works & display them with pride to their friends and family.

First, I feel rather obliged to speak my sobering thoughts of underlying shame and regret that presently inhibit my relationship with the recipient of this first name plate (of whom my readers have already heard plenty of thoughts & impressions from me in past posts to my blog): WALLACE (WES) SMITH.

"STARSCAPES & TYPOGRAPHY [no.#5] : WALLACE (WES) SMITH"
©2009 QHereKidSF | Matthew Blanchard | San Francisco, CA USA

You see, as I am presently residing in a substance abuse recovery facility and am overwhelmed by a very full schedule of day treatment and evening meeting, as well as by the additional work I do as a volunteer for the new international development nonprofit of which my best friend, Peter Maybarduk, is Acting Director & Vice-President of the Board: IPPSL | International Professional Partnerships for Sierra Leone, Inc. (http://www.ippsl.org/ - Site Under Construction!).

The last few (or maybe even many) times I've written hangout time with WES into my schedule, I have often invited him back to my apartment to meet me there for fun and entertainment: a good time. But, shame on me! I have more often than not in the last few weeks failed to pay WES any attention, as I've been consumed with work on the computer & internet (specifically, for my nonprofit).

I have apologized repeatedly to WES for my inexcusable refusal to pay him any attention or to enjoy his company when he is here to support me in my time of transition and need, but apologies only go so far, before someone gets fed up with waiting for things to change and to receive what's due to them: respect! So, here I am telling on myself...disclosing my terrible behavior and promising to make a change and to make amends!!

I have every intention of dropping all other commitments, be they treatment or nonprofit work related, this coming Thursday, in order to give WES my full attention, so that we are able to enjoy our time together. And so that, he does not feel that I am taking him for granted. I cherish our friendship and all that he has sacrificed to send so much compassion, understanding and patience my way. I don't want to lose his support; that's for sure! So, things will change! Thursday, we'll do something special to entertain ourselves; I promise that as I state it here for the record. And rest assured! I will be sharing this blog post with WES, as soon as it has been published.

• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

The recipient of my sixth STARSCAPES & TYPOGRAPHY nameplate illustration is a particularly robust and respectful man of faith who splits his professional time between Substance Abuse Treatment Counseling at Ferguson Place of Baker Places, Inc. and his service as a preacher for a small, liberal, progressive, culturally diverse Baptist Church not to far away from our facility on Divisadero Street. I'm sorry, at this time, I do not recall the name of his church, but will come back to this post and add it to the text here once I find out this information from one Rev. KEENAN R. BRANNER.

"REVERENCE & STARSCAPES [no.#1] : KEENAN R. BRANNER (Rev.)"
©2009 QHereKidSF | Matthew Blanchard | San Francisco, CA USA

I designed KEENAN's nameplate on paper with different proportions & measurements than my previous designs, so in order to distinguish this my most recent illustration, I've given it a unique title: "REVERENCE & STARSCAPES: Keenan R. Branner (Rev.)," completed only this morning after almost two months of slow but not at all tedious work. I hope he (as well as all of my followers) enjoys this design. I'm quite proud of it. He asked for a crucifix, and that is what I gave him!! What do you all think of this pencil drawing? Any ideas for the next nameplates I create?? I'd like to try something new with each additional illustration I do, so suggestions for innovation and change would be greatly appreciated. Thanks & Enjoy!!

Respectfully submitted,
Matt(e)o | QHereKidSF
Matthew D. Blanchard
San Francisco, CA 94109
[MDB2009.09.14@09:45PST]

Sixty Days Sober, Sanity & Surgery The Seventh Chakra: Sahasrara

Introducing my first foray into video-blogging!! I'd like to post the following video in honor of my 60th day of sobriety, September 11th (God bless the 2,993 lives lost on that infamous, tragic day eight years ago!), my sanity, my pearl & sapphire stone birthday celebration, my surgery (soon to come!) and my seventh chakra: Sahasrara – "The Thousand Petalled Lotus" – signifying supreme consciousness & connection to the cerebral, spiritual and concrete world.

I won't do much writing here, besides to say that I'm a lil' frustrated with my webcam movie maker, because its somehow configured only to record one 10 minute segment of video at a time (a requirement for YouTube uploads). Coincidentally, my minutes sped to an abrupt end right at the single second after I say in such a straightforward, matter of fact way, something of the sort: "I just have an ugly face." Period. And, then the screen stops and skips backward to the first frame for a replay.

I meant for that comment to be followed by a shrug of the shoulders and a sardonic slap to my screwy smile, so that single statement would not be taken so seriously. So, remember that, when watching!! I don't think I'm ugly, really. Really, I know I'm beautiful ... especially, where it counts: on the inside!! And, that I hope is demonstrated by my provocative video performance & storytelling. Here, just watch! ...

©2009 Matthew Blanchard | San Francisco, CA USA

This video was recorded using the HP MediaSmart Webcam & on my new HP Pavilion dv4-1435dx Entertainment Notebook PC. Please be aware that this video and all original photos, pictures, images, audio & video posted to this blog is legally copyrighted to the author; therefore, you are prohibited by law from copying, distributing, manipulating, rendering, altering, editing, selling, posting or making public all copyrighted works without explicit written permission from the author/owner. Thank you for respecting these terms of use. Please enjoy! And, be prepared for more to come...

THE SEVENTH CHAKRA

WHEN KUNDALINI SHAKTI UNITES WITH SHIVA
AT HIS ABODE AT THE SAHASRARA,
THE THOUSAND PETALLED LOTUS UNFOLDS.

There are seven chakras, or vortices of energy, in the subtle body, located along the spine. Each of them has different functions and certain attributes assigned to them. The Sahasrara is the seventh chakra located at the crown of the head, depicted with a thousand petals. Its physical counterpart is the human brain.

The kundalini shakti, the creative life energy, lies dormant at the first plexus, the Muladhara, at the base of the spine. When she is awakened through meditation practices, she begins her journey up the spinal column, purifying and stabilizing all the chakras, until one day she reaches Lord Shiva, who resides at the Sahasrara.

With the Divine Union of Shiva and Shakti, the thousand petals bloom and rejoice. The yogi's samskaras (imprints and tendencies) are eliminated. He or she is liberated. Self-realization, the goal of all spiritual practices, is achieved. Nirvana consciousness becomes the yogi's permanent state.

©2009 Chandi Devi | Sahasrara - The Seventh Chakra:
The Thousand Petalled Lotus | Suite101.com (2009.09.11)

FERGUSON PLACE Recovery: Theme o'da Week = "FUN!"

Since July 14, I have been on hiatus from posting regularly to my blog, because I have been temporarily preoccupied and drawn into relative seclusion as a client of Baker Places, Inc. | FERGUSON PLACE, a residential substance abuse recovery & transitional housing program in San Francisco, California.

My treatment in recovery is going very well. As of today, I am 59 days clean and sober and will be celebrating a very significant milestone for recovering addicts tomorrow: my two month anniversary or 60 days of sobriety! Quite an accomplishment; seeing as how difficult it had been for me to achieve even more than two weeks of clean time before FERGUSON.

I wish I would have had the time and impetus and motivation...or wherewithal...to commit to regularly posting to my blog during the last two months, but I have been so engulfed in the constant processing of my "program" and so determined to stay focused on recovery, in order to make it work this time for good, that I have found myself rather incapable of translating all of this process(ing) into written words. I haven't been able to journal even until recently, and that's only because it's been demanded of me that I do so at least one a week.

You see, there's two great ladies (Katie & Martha) who manage FERGUSON PLACE, as Program Director & Asst. Program Director, respectively. And, about three weeks ago, they introduced a new exercise which was intended to ignite and empower clients to focus and give thought to a certain theme for each week. We were handed spiral notebooks, fancy pens, and a blank piece of paper upon which we were to write a single word relevant to the recovery process.

Then each Wednesday night at "Client Council" (one of two mandatory meetings of all twelve residents of the house and at least two to four staff representatives), we now randomly select one of these pieces of paper with an important word on them to serve then as the theme to be considered (and to drive or inspire our actions in recovery) for the next seven days.

Yesterday, Wednesday (09/09/09), was our time to share our thoughts on last week's "Theme o'da Week," which was the ubiquitous, short, sweet and simple word, "FUN!" Unlike many of the current clients at FERGUSON, I took my consideration of this theme very seriously and finally was able to sit down and write more than a few words into my journal (which I am now posting here on my blog for all of my followers to read)...

I had anticipated great amusements in the week to follow this simple, sultry, vivacious word being drawn at random form our bowl o'themes o'da week, but BOY! were my ambitions to entertain myself during these last seven days dreadfully dashed!

Truth is...I've been very busy. So busy, in fact, that I have been regularly absent from house/program activities, which is unusual, as you (my fellow residents) should know. I've been so busy, so absent even that I failed to complete my weekly schedule in time for it to be approved by my primary counselor by our Saturday evening deadline; and, even though I've repeatedly reported a change of income to program management, I've failed both to deliver the appropriate documentation confirming this change and to pay my program fees on time.

For goodness' sake! It's 09/09/09, and I still haven't delivered a check to Katie or Martha. That's just wrong! And, it's absolutely no "FUN" to feel beholden to someone in that way, due to my own lack of drive, of initiative and due to my apparent inability to manage my time and priorities well.

See, I've been occupied with extensive day treatment programming and with even more demanding volunteer obligations to my nonprofit. I have a very full schedule each day of the week, which allows only limited time for me to break my focus away form my recovery work and my nonprofit work, in order to let myself be distracted by inadvertently exciting incidences of quote/unquote "FUN" : TYPICAL, RAMBUNCTIOUS, NO-HOLDS-BARRED FUNAMBULISM & TOMFOOLERY!!

But, I'd like to counter resolutely the seemingly persistent theme of "absence of ME, hence absence of FUN" by stating now for the record, and with determined poise & assurance, that I am at least "ENJOYING" my time here at FERGUSON and in the recovery community. In addition, I greatly enjoy the volunteer work that keeps me so busy. In general, ... all things considered! ... I'm highly satisfied with my state of affairs. So, THEN WHAT??

—Well, what it comes down to is whether or not we've imposed a definitive distinction between "FUN" as "entertainment" and "FUN" as "enjoyment." I think that were there no distinction, if enjoyment, appreciation and satisfaction of my daily responsibilities and activities does indeed define as "FUN" (quote/unquote!), then indeed I am rightfully, righteously riding the ubiquitous wave of "wonderful!"

However, if fun defines as a momentary loosening of my chin strap or ankle chain, or if it is understood as "freedom from the feigning, straining focus of the frontal lobe:" BRAIN DRAIN! and a lil'better than bad behavior; a resignation or renunciation of responsibility for the sake of saving one's self from perpetual, stubbornly sustained seriousness, then even then I have to say that "FUN" is not entirely absent from my life; although, it may not be all too apparent!

YES! I have to make a more concerted effort to entertain myself, to be a lil'wild, to stray from the straight & narrow sometimes. But, right now, today, it's the "STRAIGHT & NARROW" that keeps me safe, sane and sober!! I say, "FUN! Bring it on!" But, not at the risk of changing my pace and direction, or even reversing all the positive changes I've made in my life since entering into recovery.

Recovery can be fun, for sure! I've been witness to great amounts of joviality, conviviality, congeniality, kindness, humor and enjoyment of life, after having begun to attend regular CMA meetings with my new sponsor: Jeffrey J., a big time CMA guru, the Secretary General of the District Council of Northern California Crystal Meth Anonymous Fellowship, who knows almost everyone at every meeting I go to; which is good for me, because I get to be introduced to at least four or five new recovery compatriots at each meeting I attend with him.

And recovering addicts certainly know how to have fun, or so it seems. In fact, I believe it's just something you have to learn to do all over again in new ways that don't lead you to drugs and alcohol, once you enter recovery. Many of us are starting from miles behind everyone else in this endeavor.

Fortunately, I haven't been an addict my whole life, and I was blessed as an adolescent, teenager and young adult to have learned ways to entertain myself and enjoy my time sober; even if most of that time was devoted to school work and extracurricular activities. No wonder I have this strong propensity for devoting myself to the "process" of recovery and volunteerism; because, it's something that I enjoy, and I have fun doing it.

So, that's that! There you go! My final thoughts on FUN! The next "Theme o'da Week" is GRATITUDE, of which my sponsor believes I should have a strong understanding. In fact, when we check in by phone everyday, he always asks me what I'm grateful for that day.

So be prepared, OH MIGHTY BLOGOSPHERE!! I should have lots to say come Wednesday of next week (09/16/09) about how I have incorporated GRATITUDE into my life during this coming week. One thing I know for sure is that I am awfully grateful to be alive and to be sober and to be involved with a good cause. More on that later! Ciao for now!

Respectfully submitted,
Matt(e)o | QHereKidSF

Matthew D. Blanchard
c/o FERGUSON PLACE
BAKER PLACES, INC.
1249 Scott Street
San Francisco, CA 94115
+1 (415) 885-9306 (temp)

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TODAY, I WILL LET MYSELF HAVE SOME FUN WITH LIFE.
I WILL LOOSEN UP A BIT, KNOWING I WON'T CRACK & BREAK.
GOD, HELP ME LET GO OF MY NEED TO BE SO INHIBITED, PROPER,
AND REPRESSED. HELP ME INJECT A BIG DOSE OF LIFE INTO
MYSELF BY LETTING MYSELF BE FULLY ALIVE AND HUMAN.
— Unknown