Be Organic.

Beorganic


One of the signs I use at my workshops says "Be Organic." It is a lot like "Go With The Flow." And similar to "Don't Worry About It." And sometimes short for "Get Over It." I rarely use get over it until I have gotten to know the students a bit better - and they have gotten to know me a bit better to understand where I am coming from and that I mean no harm.


My friend, a cool lady I met in class last year - Jennifer Paddack Hyde, sent me this mug for the holidays (it is from Starbucks in case you were wondering - she added on the rub ons herself). You can imagine my delight. I like little reminders like this. Things that tell me to chill out, that everything is going to be fine, essentially to get over whatever it is that I am stessing or fretting about at the moment.


To me, being organic means rolling with things. Not freaking out when I mess up on a layout. Instead, finding some other way to work with what I have in front of me.


I looked organic up in my handy-dandy computer dictionary this morning, just to see what the actual definition is...so besides being "of, relating to, or derived from living matter" or "(of food or farming methods) produced or involving production without the use of chemical fertilizers, pesticides, or other artifical agents" or "physiology of or relating to a bodily organ or organs"...

Organic is "(3) denoting a relation between elements of something such that they fit together harmoniously as necessary parts of a whole : the organic unity of the integral work of art. • characterized by continuous or natural development : companies expand as much by acquisition as by organic growth."

Ah, yes. Natural development. Now that is what I am talking about. Ebbs and flows. Failures and successes. Riding it out. And "necessary parts of a whole." Being able to chill because you know that there will always be some bad and some good. And that sometimes you will feel uber creative and other days you will just need to do something else. And that is just the way it goes. And it is OK.


And in case you were wondering...I did wash this mug and the rub ons stayed on the cup. So thanks Jenn...for keeping it real.

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30 thoughts

  1. shell-bean says…
    01/05/2006

    that is sooo fab!! Love the definition of Organic!!

    Reply 0 Replies
  2. Jenn N says…
    01/05/2006

    Ali, PLEASE ask your friend Jenn where she got this mug - I absolutely love it and would love to have one myself!
    And, I can appreciate your take on "organic" - love it!

    Reply 0 Replies
  3. Maria says…
    01/05/2006

    I love the definition...must use it on a layout now, LOL. And yes, I would love to find one cup like that one!!!

    Reply 0 Replies
  4. sarah says…
    01/05/2006

    I loved this mug at Starbucks...
    I should have just bought it when I had the chance.
    I especially love that your friend put rub-on's on it!
    That is very cool...I had no idea that they worked on surfaces like that.
    How do they not come off though?
    very cool saying...Be Organic.
    A good way of thinking of things.
    I like it!

    Reply 0 Replies
  5. Amanda says…
    01/05/2006

    if at CKU you feel the need to tell me to 'get over it' go ahead, just skip all the niceness, sometimes I just need to be slapped upside the head. :)

    Reply 0 Replies
  6. Amy Skaar says…
    01/05/2006

    I got the same mug at Starbucks the other day-sans rub-ons, and a bottle of gingerbread syrup to make my lattes once they stop for the season................why are all my favs seasonal. Pumpkin Spice......Gingerbread. Guess I must be a 'fall'!
    Take Care-
    Amy

    Reply 0 Replies
  7. cindy says…
    01/05/2006

    Very cute. Gotta LOVE those rubons!! They really do go on anything. :-)

    Reply 0 Replies
  8. candice says…
    01/05/2006

    ...I wondered if the rub-on's would stay on through a washing. interesting.
    and, wow. you mean you mess up on LO's too? ;) :)

    Reply 0 Replies
  9. cathy says…
    01/05/2006

    I so needed to read this today.
    so.
    thanks
    c

    Reply 0 Replies
  10. Araxi says…
    01/05/2006

    I see a new trend coming on. Love it.

    Reply 0 Replies
  11. Dee says…
    01/05/2006

    Hey there Ali,
    Love that mug.....Love that we all say different things! Instead of "Get over it" I say, "Build a bridge"......In building a bridge, you can cross over to the other side.....or you can "Get over it". LOL. Hmmm, I see a layout coming here!
    "D"

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  12. katie says…
    01/05/2006

    what a wonderful expression!

    Reply 0 Replies
  13. Sharyn (Torm) says…
    01/05/2006

    wait wait wait....i'm trying to get past the part that says you mess up on layouts! Nooooooooooooooooooooooo! I don't believe it. *insert bug-eyed disbelieving smily here*

    Reply 0 Replies
  14. Kari says…
    01/05/2006

    Ok, this is EXACTLY what I needed today. I just wrote up my big long post on my blog (www.artsymama.blogspot.com) and then happened to check yours to see if there was anything new. You said precisely what I needed to hear. THANK YOU!!!!

    Reply 0 Replies
  15. Shawni & Jason says…
    01/05/2006

    Inspirational... and so right there with where my life is taking me these past few weeks. Jenn rocks and thank you Ali for sharing with us.

    Reply 0 Replies
  16. Juel says…
    01/05/2006

    I'm a new comer around here and boy did you happen to tell me exactly what I needed to hear today. Thank you

    Reply 0 Replies
  17. Kristy says…
    01/05/2006

    The very "Frank Lloyd Wright" style of design. I often forget about this definition of organic and get stuck in the "food and natural living" side of organic.
    Thanks for the reminder Ali!

    Reply 0 Replies
  18. Tautchia (aka Ms. P) says…
    01/05/2006

    I just LOVE that definition of organic! Very inspirational. And, wait a minute, you mess up layouts, too? And you have days that you don't feel creative? Kinda nice to know that we're not alone in that. Thanks for such a great post!

    Reply 0 Replies
  19. Rachel says…
    01/05/2006

    awesome! only your blog would make me want a mug like this so bad - ha! a new meaning {organic if you will} to rubons! thanks for sharing a!

    Reply 0 Replies
  20. traci says…
    01/05/2006

    Love the mug and the phrase! Although I think you also need a mug that says "get over it"...just because that would be a fun one to have around the house! :)

    Reply 0 Replies
  21. jen paddack-hyde says…
    01/05/2006

    I wondered if they would stay on:D
    They were NOT that easy to get on it:)

    Reply 0 Replies
  22. margie says…
    01/05/2006

    i freaking love you!
    love
    kk
    m

    Reply 0 Replies
  23. Lindey says…
    01/05/2006

    I told myself 'you have time for just 2 blogs' when i sat down...lots to do here tonight. Such a God thing that this is what I found.
    I
    needed
    to
    hear
    just what you said, a...thanks so much.

    Reply 0 Replies
  24. Lu says…
    01/05/2006

    that cup is too freakin' cute...or maybe it is the nice pic you took of it.

    Reply 0 Replies
  25. liz elayne says…
    01/05/2006

    This is fantastic. Thank you for inviting me to think about a new way of...thinking, creating, playing, loving, living.

    Reply 0 Replies

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