Year Of Change

Only we can affect the environment and society in which we live. Many near me of late have probably heard several references or jokes coming from my mouth about "my reality" and how nothing can exist in my reality without my recognition and approval of its existence. To some extent I do actually believe in this mindset. The dispute here lies within the understanding of the subconscious and the power and hold the mind has over us despite our level of consciousness. But all of that aside, and despite whatever personal beliefs you have, it seems to me that dominion and shepherdhood of our social and conscious existence depends greatly upon our level of participation within that existence.

In other words, there can be no change without those who are willing to make change happen. There can be no leaps without those willing to take the first step. In order to reach great heights man must often stand on the shoulders of the giants before him. And further, we must become directly involved in being the change we wish to see around us individually.

On more than one occasion I have been told by friends how anxious they are to relocate. How life will be better in a new town, a new state, a new country... maybe simply just a new neighborhood or job. I try to humbly express my personal motto learned many years ago by virtue of punk rock and veganism (and the relatively difficult task of finding either in late 1990's rural Midwest America - another story for another time). Put simply, "a place is only as good as you make it." No matter where you go, there you are. The thing that differentiates between most locations for me is the people located in each, their morals, ethics, values... the lengths they are willing to go to in order to progress their local communities. Even today I have to take inventory and look around, I ask myself what are WE doing to better ourselves, our environment, our community. What battles are we willing to fight what efforts are we willing to support.

Of late I have taken to catching an episode of the television series The Tudors in my spare time. Some may say that quoting or referencing a popular television show over the history it represents is juvenile and ignorant but I feel the medium has become for better or worse a relevant part of our culture. In the third season of the show, the commoners from the North of England start a rebellion of sorts in an effort to save their holy houses of worship from desecration and to maintain the right to honor ceremony, rite and ritual of a belief system that was under the threat of complete reformation, in this case Roman Catholicism (If you don't know the show is essentially about Henry VIII and how his insatiable lust changed politics and religion forever). The thing that really stood out most to me was the reoccurring theme that these men were not only willing to fight for their beliefs, but willing to die for them as well. And die they did, most without any recanting of their forthright beliefs.

I do not ask any of you to die for your causes, quite the opposite. I ask you to live for them. I ask that in this coming year we ALL do what we can to execute a change for the better in our lives, our communities, our cities and states and countries, and our world. If we all apply ourselves in this coming year of 2011, the effect will be monumental. Here at ANOMALY we have already taken a head start, and are looking forward to continuing with pride.

I personally have made a change for myself and my health to a macrobiotic diet, one that requires abstinence from refined sugars and processed ingredients along with a healthy intake of balance in all things in life. We as a shop just had our annual Jeff Edgarian Bowl-A-Rama which raised $500 for the Glendale Humane no-kill animal shelter. We have plans in the works to do fundraisers for the Pasadena Bad Weather Shelter (a high tolerance homeless shelter here locally), The Pasadena Ronald McDonald House, a charity that houses families with children hospitalized far from their homes, a holiday portrait event for the low income families of the Pasadena Area, and we also plan to host an art show and donate a percentage of our daily sales in January to help raise funds for relief in Haiti (it's been a year and things are still ridiculous there). We will update and announce more information for each of these events as they progress on our website at www.anomaly2.com, you can also find information on our facebook fan page at www.facebook.com/anomalypiercing. We are very interested in what you are doing, how you are making change, and if you need our help... what we can do to assist you. Please feel free to tell us by commenting on this blog or by emailing us at anomalyart@gmail.com. I apologize for any typos, this netbook loves to drop letters and add extras when I'm hunting and pecking.

Happy New Year to you all, let's make 2011 the best yet of our lifetimes. Remember, according to some it may be the last full calendar year we have. :)

Sincerely,

Brett Perkins