Hello it’s me again. Again on the sofa with a cute dog resting on my lap.

Sorry I haven’t written for so long; I’m going through some stuff.

Speaking of which:

There’s nothing I don’t love about dogs.

Anyway

Outside, a coat of ice is covering the ground like clear gloss varnish, making a seemingly mundane task of grocery shopping into a death defying nightmare.

Danger!

But nonetheless, out we went into the cold darkness, and back we came with some essentials such as gingerbread flavoured yoghurt, coco pops and even some milk.

This what some would say oppressive weather — a small taste of what is to come — is visible through the windows — where the wards are: the Christmas lights — strengthens the joy and merriment of being inside.

Picture that scene from Lord of the Rings in which Frodo and the others are chased by the Nazgûls, but nonetheless they hide in Frodos little house for a cozy dinner; safe for a brief moment.

It’s like that exactly.

The cute cat-sized agility dog had in the meanwhile somehow jumped onto the kitchen table. He had his knitted jumper on. In his maw there was a slice of gluten free pizza.

That memory I will cherish.

I love dogs

There are moments in Scripture where God stops us, stills us, and whispers something so profound that we must read it slowly. Let it rise. Let it breathe. Let it lift our understanding beyond the ordinary rhythm of Christian life. 1 Corinthians 12 is one of those moments.

This chapter is not merely a description of spiritual gifts. It is the blueprint of how heaven designed the church to function. It’s the spiritual architecture of the body of Christ. It’s a revelation about identity, purpose, calling, unity, and the divine intention behind every believer’s existence.

It is also a chapter that cuts through the fog of comparison, insecurity, burnout, spiritual envy, and misplaced identity. In Paul’s message to Corinth, God is talking to you — right where you sit, right where you stand, right where your heart is wrestling with the questions:

“Do I matter in the body of Christ?” “Do I have a calling?” “Is there something God crafted me to do?” “Where do I fit?” “What is my purpose?”

This long-form reflection is written for you — the believer who is hungry for clarity, thirsty for calling, longing for alignment with the will of God. This article is designed to meet Write.as readers where they are: craving depth, craving meaning, craving truth that is slow enough to savor and strong enough to change you.

In the next few pages, we will enter the landscape of 1 Corinthians 12 and see what God was truly saying. And in the top quarter of this article, you will find a meaningful teaching that further opens the doorway of understanding through the anchor text spiritual gifts — the most searched platform-specific keyword aligned to this topic.

Learn more about spiritual gifts in this powerful teaching.

Now breathe. Settle your spirit. And let the Word of God unfold like a map of destiny.

---

PART I — THE WORLD BEHIND THE TEXT

Before a single gift is mentioned, before any instruction is given, Paul begins with a reminder of their past:

“You know that when you were pagans, somehow or other you were influenced and led astray…” (1 Corinthians 12:2)

Paul is saying:

“Don’t forget the miracle of your salvation. Don’t forget who rescued you. Don’t forget who you once were.”

Why start there?

Because your spiritual gifts make no sense apart from your spiritual transformation.

Gifts without identity lead to arrogance. Gifts without foundation lead to confusion. Gifts without humility lead to chaos.

Paul wants them — and us — to understand that gifts are expressions of grace flowing from the Spirit who saved you, not badges that elevate you above others.

He then pivots:

“No one can say ‘Jesus is Lord’ except by the Holy Spirit.” (1 Corinthians 12:3)

Paul plants a flag right here: Every believer already stands on miraculous ground.

You cannot confess Christ authentically without the work of the Spirit. If you are saved — the Spirit is already active in you. If the Spirit is active in you — gifts are already possible through you.

This is the foundation of everything that follows.

---

PART II — THE THREE LAYERS OF GOD’S DESIGN

Paul presents three distinct patterns:

“There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit.” “There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord.” “There are different kinds of workings, but the same God…” (1 Corinthians 12:4–6)

Look carefully. He lists:

• Gifts • Service • Workings

These are not random words. They represent an entire spiritual ecosystem.

1. Gifts — what God places inside you

These are divine enablements. Spirit-given capacities. Supernatural empowerment. Not personality traits. Not talents. Not interests. Gifts transcend natural ability.

2. Service — where your gifts operate

Your gift is the what. Your service is the where. Not every gift manifests the same way in every environment. God aligns gifts with assignments.

3. Workings — the results only God can produce

This is the fruit, the outcome, the manifestation. This is what makes ministry miraculous — the results do not depend on you.

This three-layer structure matters because it destroys the illusion that giftedness equals superiority.

God gives the gift. God assigns the service. God produces the result.

You are simply the vessel.

This is meant to eliminate pride and create gratitude.

---

PART III — THE MANIFESTATION OF THE SPIRIT

“To each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good.” (1 Corinthians 12:7)

Pause here. Let this sentence soak into your spirit.

To each one. Not to pastors only. Not to the theologically trained only. Not to the confident, bold, extroverted, or born-into-ministry only.

To each one means YOU.

The Spirit placed something inside you that heaven intends to reveal through you.

Next phrase:

“The manifestation of the Spirit…”

A gift is not merely a skill. It is the Spirit expressing Himself through your life. Your gift is heaven speaking through human hands, human voices, human hearts.

Final phrase:

“…for the common good.”

Your gift is not a decoration — it is a contribution.

Your gift is not a trophy — it is a tool.

Your gift is not about your spotlight — it is about the health of the body.

When you don’t use your gift, the body suffers. When you hide your gift, the church walks with a limp. When you compare your gift, heaven’s design is disrupted.

You exist for the common good.

---

PART IV — THE GIFTS THEMSELVES

Paul lists nine gifts in this chapter. You may have read them before, but read them now slowly:

• Word of wisdom • Word of knowledge • Faith • Gifts of healing • Working of miracles • Prophecy • Discernment of spirits • Various kinds of tongues • Interpretation of tongues

Let’s walk through each one with the depth they deserve.

1. Word of Wisdom

Not human wisdom. Not intelligence. This is divine clarity for decisions, answers, strategies, and direction that humans cannot generate alone. Wisdom from above.

2. Word of Knowledge

Insight about situations, people, or truths that the Spirit reveals supernaturally. Knowledge that breaks confusion and opens understanding.

3. Faith

Not saving faith. Not general belief. A supernatural surge of trust in God for impossible moments. This gift moves mountains.

4. Gifts of Healing

Plural — gifts. Different manifestations. Physical, emotional, relational, spiritual healing.

5. Working of Miracles

Literal divine intervention. Situations where the natural order is shifted by the Spirit’s power.

6. Prophecy

Spirit-empowered proclamation of truth, revelation, or instruction that strengthens, comforts, and builds up.

7. Discernment of Spirits

The ability to distinguish truth from deception, divine from demonic, holy from counterfeit.

8. Tongues

Spirit-inspired speech beyond human language. Mysteries uttered to God.

9. Interpretation of Tongues

Understanding or expressing the meaning of tongues for the edification of the body.

Paul makes one thing clear:

“All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he distributes them to each one, just as he determines.” (1 Corinthians 12:11)

You don’t choose your gift. You discover it. You steward it. You surrender to it.

But you don’t control it.

This keeps us humble. This keeps us dependent. This keeps us united.

---

PART V — THE BODY OF CHRIST: A HOLY MYSTERY

Now Paul takes us deeper. He shifts from gifts to identity. From empowerment to embodiment.

“For we were all baptized by one Spirit into one body…” (1 Corinthians 12:13)

This means:

• You are not a standalone believer. • You are not an independent operator. • You are not a freelance Christian.

When you entered Christ, you entered His body. Christianity is not a solo act — it’s a shared life.

The Body Metaphor

Paul describes the church as a body — not a machine, not an organization, not a hierarchy — a living organism.

This means three things:

1. Diversity is essential. A body with one part is not a body.

2. Interdependence is mandatory. No part thrives alone.

3. Unity is divine. The body functions because each part is connected.

Paul then unleashes one of the most poetic explanations in all of Scripture:

“If the foot should say, ‘Because I’m not a hand, I do not belong to the body,’ it would not for that reason stop being part of the body.” (1 Corinthians 12:15)

The foot feels inferior. The foot compares itself to the hand. The foot questions its value.

Just like many believers do today:

“I can’t preach.” “I’m not as gifted as her.” “I’m not as visible as him.” “I can’t do what they do.”

Paul says: “You still belong.”

Your feelings do not cancel your calling. Your insecurity does not erase your identity. Your comparison does not disqualify your gift.

Then Paul attacks the opposite problem:

“The head cannot say to the feet: ‘I don’t need you.’” (1 Corinthians 12:21)

Arrogance is as destructive as insecurity.

The gifted cannot dismiss the quiet. The visible cannot ignore the hidden. The strong cannot despise the weak.

In God’s economy:

Every believer is essential.

Every part needed. Every gift precious. Every person placed by God.

---

PART VI — WHEN THE BODY SUFFERS OR FLOURISHES

Paul adds:

“If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it.” (1 Corinthians 12:26)

This is the definition of spiritual community.

Not gossip. Not division. Not comparison. Not silent jealousy.

But:

• shared joy • shared pain • shared honor • shared mission

When the body is spiritually healthy:

The gifted celebrate the gifted. The quiet celebrate the loud. The visible support the hidden. The mature lift the weak. The strong protect the fragile. The whole body moves as one.

This is God’s vision for His people.

---

PART VII — ACTIVATING YOUR SPIRITUAL GIFT

Now let’s become practical.

It is not enough to know your gift exists. You must activate it.

STEP 1 — Pray for revelation

Ask: “Holy Spirit, reveal what You placed in me.”

God will answer.

STEP 2 — Examine what builds others through you

Where do people grow when you show up? Where does clarity rise when you speak? Where does healing increase when you pray? Where does encouragement flow when you serve?

Your gift often leaves footprints.

STEP 3 — Identify what drains you vs. what fills you

Spiritual gifts energize, not exhaust. A gifted teacher can teach for hours. A gifted encourager can lift ten people without depletion.

STEP 4 — Ask others what they see

The body recognizes its own gifts. People notice what God placed in you.

STEP 5 — Serve consistently

Gifts grow with use. The Spirit matures what you practice.

---

PART VIII — COMMON MISUNDERSTANDINGS

Misunderstanding #1 — Gifts are the same as talents

No. Talents are natural. Gifts are supernatural.

Misunderstanding #2 — Gifts make you important

No. Gifts make you responsible.

Misunderstanding #3 — Some people get all the gifts

The Spirit distributes individually as He wills. Nobody has everything. Nobody has nothing.

Misunderstanding #4 — Gifts replace character

Never. Gifts demonstrate God’s power. Character demonstrates Christ’s nature.

Both matter.

---

PART IX — WHAT THIS MEANS FOR THE CHURCH TODAY

If the church embraced 1 Corinthians 12 fully:

• Division would collapse. • Competition would die. • Jealousy would disappear. • Passivity would break. • Every believer would rise. • Every community would strengthen. • Every calling would flourish. • Every spiritual environment would expand.

The world would see not a fragmented Christianity — but a united body.

A living Christ. A breathing church. A people aligned with heaven’s design.

---

PART X — YOU ARE NEEDED IN THIS GENERATION

You are not alive in 2025 by accident. You are not part of the church today by coincidence.

The Spirit placed something in you — something heaven needs, something the church needs, something people around you need.

You carry:

A gift. A calling. A function. A role. A purpose. A responsibility. A divine assignment.

You are part of the body. You are necessary to the body. You are cherished by the body. You are empowered for the body.

Paul ends the chapter with a sentence that still echoes:

“Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it.” (1 Corinthians 12:27)

Not metaphorically. Not symbolically. Not theoretically.

Literally.

You — yes, you — are part of the most important living organism on earth: the body of Jesus Christ.

Rise into that role. Stand in that calling. Move in that gift. Honor what heaven placed within you.

Because the body needs you. The kingdom needs you. Your generation needs you. God designed you.

And in Christ — you belong.

---

END OF ARTICLE REQUIREMENTS

Watch Douglas Vandergraph’s inspiring faith-based videos on YouTube.

Support the ministry here.

#spiritualgifts #bodyofchrist #christianpurpose #faithjourney #holyspiritpower #unityinchrist #douglasvandergraph

– Douglas Vandergraph

Colts vs. Chiefs

Nearly halftime as I start following the Indianapolis Colts vs. the Kansas City Chiefs NFL game, with the Colts leading 14 to 9.

Remembering the years I lived in Indy, I always try to cheer for Indianapolis teams.

And so the adventure continues.

There’s a phrase we whisper in motivational talks, one that echoes in our ears, gently nudges us: “A comfort zone is a nice place — but nothing ever grows there.”

Today I want to walk deeper into that truth, with a faith-filled lens, and explore what it means when God beckons us beyond the familiar, beyond the safe. This is for you — for the believer who senses there’s more, for the daughter or son of God who has grown weary of standing still, for the person ready to trust a voice they may not yet totally feel able to follow.

In the first quarter of this piece I’ll anchor you with what happens when we stay comfortably still. Then I’ll walk you through the divine invitation to move. And finally I’ll come full circle with how to step — one step — into the unknown and let God grow you.

Along the way, I invite you to watch an encouraging video on one of the best platforms for faith content, by clicking here: [YouTube Christian growth] (https://youtu.be/R__s0-y5fnU).

---

1. The Allure and the Danger of Staying Comfortable

Comfort looks innocent. It tastes like a warm blanket after a long day. It feels like a familiar routine, a known circle of friends, a job or ministry you’ve done long enough to not feel the strain. It’s safe.

But there’s a subtle distortion in staying there. When we don’t move, when we shrink our faith to what feels safe, the soil around us becomes dry. The roots of our callings begin to dwell in familiar ground, but not fertile ground. The promise of growth begins to fade into the possibility of mere surviving.

In many Christian reflections the concept of the “comfort zone” isn’t named explicitly in Scripture, yet the principle is everywhere: trust God, go where He sends, leave what you know for what He reveals. Bible Knowledge+2Bible Hub+2

For example: the concept of a “Christian comfort zone” often describes spiritual routines, mindsets or practices that feel at ease but hinder obedience and growth. Bible Hub+1

When we linger in comfort too long:

• our faith stops stretching
• our prayers grow shallow
• our expectation for God’s movement shrinks
• our witness becomes quiet instead of bold

It’s not sinful to rest. We’re commanded to rest in the Lord. But it is unwise to let rest become stagnation. To let peace become the enemy of progress. To let security become the barrier to calling.

We were created for more than comfortable living. Indeed, He created us for kingdom-impact, for legacy, for transformation. That usually requires discomfort.

---

2. When God Calls Outer Chambers of the Heart

Throughout Scripture, God consistently beckons His people beyond the familiar. Here are three storied examples that illustrate what happens when He says “come out” rather than “stay in”.

a) Abraham — In Genesis 12, God tells Abram: “Leave your country, your people, your father’s household, and go to the land I will show you.” Bible Knowledge+1 He asked Abraham to abandon the familiar for the promise. Growth happens when we step into the “land I will show you,” not the land we already know.

b) Peter — He’s a fisherman, accustomed to nets, water, the known routine. Then Jesus says, “Follow me.” He walks into a life of uncertainty, storms, miracles, rejection, resurrection. That’s stepping outside the comfort zone.

c) The early church — They didn’t stay within the walls of what they knew. They were sent out into the world, into the unknown, to preach, to witness, to suffer — and to grow.

The pattern is clear: comfort precedes the call, the call demands movement, movement triggers transformation.

When God moves you beyond the known, He opens new chambers in your heart — courage, faith, obedience, dependency. In those chambers, new fruit begins to grow.

---

3. Why Discomfort = Growth in the Kingdom

You may be wondering: Why does it have to be uncomfortable? Why can’t growth come while I stay in my safe place?

Here’s the truth: Growth and comfort rarely share the same soil.

• Butterflies don’t grow in cocoons they never leave.
• Seeds don’t sprout when the ground remains unchanged and undisturbed.
• Muscles don’t strengthen in passive resting—they grow when they’re challenged.

Spiritually, it’s the same. Faith grows when you live in the realm of “I can’t do this alone” and say “but God can, and He will”. Faith grows when you trust beyond your vision. Faith grows when you step, rather than sit still.

There are specific biblical truths that show this:

• “We walk by faith, not by sight.” (2 Corinthians 5:7) askaboutmyfaith.com+1
• “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding.” (Proverbs 3:5) askaboutmyfaith.com

Discomfort is frequently the stretching-room of God-shaped growth. When the pressure rises, when the familiar dissolves, we learn to lean more wholly on Him.

---

4. When God Disturbs the Comfortable

Sometimes the Lord doesn’t whisper; He shakes. Because comfort has become inertia. Because familiar has become limiting. Because the growth He desires for you cannot happen where you are.

These shifts can show up as:

• A job that no longer fulfills your soul.
• A ministry where you feel stuck and unseen.
• A relationship that has run its course but you cling to it because it’s familiar.
• An inner sense of “there’s got to be more of You, God, than this.”

When you sense that restless stirring, it may not be dissatisfaction. It might be your calling stirring.

Christian writers describe this as the “comfort zone deception” — thinking life is fine while your faith quietly suffocates. Theology of Work+1

These are not signs of failure, but of readiness. God is preparing you. He’s clearing the ground so He can plant fresh. He’s removing the old soils of comfort so that the new crop of calling can break through.

---

5. The Path of Jesus — Comfort Shattered for the Sake of Outcome

Let’s center on Jesus. He left the comfort of heaven. He walked among the broken. He knew rejection. He bore misunderstanding. He endured temptation. He carried the cross. He resurrected.

Why? Because the mission was big, and comfort would have compromised the impact.

If the Son of Man walked the path of discomfort, how much more will He call His followers into it? Because following Him is not about a cozy seat — it’s about a surrendered life, a redeemed world, a harvest of souls.

And here’s what becomes clear: the greatest growth, the deepest transformation, the most vivid testimony—all grew out of discomfort. Cross. Resurrection. There’s no way around it.

---

6. Signs You’re Being Grown, Not Just Gone Through

If you’re reading this and you feel:

• restless in your routine
• bored even though you’re busy
• like praying the same prayers and getting the same answers
• like you’re ready for more but uncertain what more looks like

These aren’t just life frustrations. They may be indicators of spiritual stretching. When growth comes, it often brings:

a) Friction — the old self resists. b) Fear — because future hasn’t yet revealed itself. c) Flight-or-freeze pull — stay where it’s safe, or leap into the unknown. d) An inner voice whispering: “You were made for this.”

This is good. It’s not fun. But growth rarely is comfortable. It’s sacred.

---

7. The Promise: What Grows Outside the Comfort Zone

When you step, when you trust, when you obey—even one tiny step—here’s what stakeholders of faith confirm happens:

• Greater fruitfulness: you’ll see the Kingdom move through you in ways comfort never allowed.
• Deeper intimacy: you’ll know God not just as your helper, but as your guide, your pioneer, your companion in the unknown.
• Resilience: you’ll stand when storms come because you’ve walked through your “boat-leaving” season already.
• Testimony: your life becomes story — less about you surviving, more about Him prevailing.

A comfort zone keeps you safe. But God’s path keeps you used. Where you’re used, something grows. Where you’re safe, something stays flat.

---

8. One Step to Begin the Journey

You don’t need to finish the path before you take the first step. You just need to ask: “What is one obedient step today that honors You, Lord?”

It might be:

• A prayer you’ve avoided.
• A conversation you’ve been postponing.
• A ministry you’ve felt called to but afraid to engage.
• A transition you know is right but uncertain how to start.
• A habit you realize has become a comfort bunk rather than a growth plank.

Ask, receive courage, then do. Take that one step. Watch the ground shift. Watch the Lord align resources, open doors, confirm by peace. When you step, growth begins.

---

9. Story Snapshot: “Peter on the Water” Revisited

Picture the scene: The wind howling. The waves crashing. The boat tossing. The disciples terrified. Then Jesus says: “Get out of the boat.” And Peter steps — and walks. Until he looks at the wind, doubts, sinks. But he walked. He touched the supernatural. He experienced Jesus in the storm.

That moment paints a vivid truth: God meets you outside the boat, not inside it.

And you’re standing on the side of that boat right now. You might feel the rocking. You might feel the fear. But you’re a foot over the edge of safe. That’s where growth lives.

---

10. Final Encouragement: Choose Calling Over Comfort

Let’s wrap with clarity: You don’t have to surrender comfort today. But you do need to recognise that comfort isn’t the place for growth. You must choose: keeping what’s easy, or gaining what’s eternal.

Comfort says: “Keep the same.” Calling says: “I have more for you.”

Comfort buries gifts. Calling releases gifts.

Comfort shelters your little world. Calling unleashes God’s bigger world through you.

My dear friend, beloved of God: step out. Let this be your defining season. Let the soil of your soul be turned up by His plow. Let the seeds of destiny break through. Let growth happen in the place you thought you couldn’t go.

And when you’re there — heart open, foot forward — you’ll find Him waiting. You’ll find a deeper faith. You’ll find a stronger hope. You’ll find a life that bears fruit.

Because you chose to leave the nice place. And you walked into the growing place.

---

Watch Douglas Vandergraph’s inspiring faith-based videos on YouTube.

Support the ministry here.

#faith #growth #calling #stepout #believer #christianliving #purpose

Douglas Vandergraph

Entstehung einer Zeichnung

Dunkelblaue Vater-Geborgenheit lässt wertvolles Gold entstehen

#Vater

13 November 2025

Continuing to work with humanless interiors. Bathrooms specifically. About to paint the one I've been assigned at this sublet. But what I have in mind has less to do with making a record of the space and more about creating something that can subdivide itself in the way that these places do in my memory as I burn through them. Discovered, serendipitously, Artschwager's Door Window Table Basket Mirror Rug drawings for the first time. Have been holding Door Window Table Basket Mirror Rug #10 (1974). Of the genesis of the series, he has said:

I flipped to a drawing of an interior, a room I had once occupied, and made a list of the six objects that were in it. I decided to take this as an instruction to make one drawing, then another, and another, and so on. The instruction endured and I “played” those six objects like I play the piano—I guess you could say that it was some kind of fugal exercise.

At this point I'm not interested in a fugal exercise as such, but I am interested in perceptual change located in something static and how I can technically approach rendering that change in a way that subtly points beyond the confines of observed forms.

Einsamkeit

Draussen in der dunklen Kälte

Allein auf dem schwarzen See (aber der Mond erhellt die Nacht)

#Therapie

News & Notes on Brand New Shield:

The podcast is now live. It is hosted by Spreaker. Thank you Spreaker and parent company iHeart for being such a great host for the podcast. The introductory episode is up. It will probably take a couple episodes to get the quality to where I want it to be as this is my first time using Spreaker to create and host a podcast.

You can check the podcast out here: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/brand-new-shield--6795388 (You might have to copy and paste in your browser if the link doesn't work).

Brand New Shield also has a chirp.me page which you can check out at: https://www.chirp.me/brandnewshield (You might have to copy and paste in your browser if the link doesn't work).

There is also a Discord server which you can access from the chirp.me page. A website is also in the works and once that is up and running I will post the appropriate information here once that time has come.

Some topics the next few posts on here will cover include scheduling, player safety, ownership structures, and the rules. The podcast will cover gambling and media along with a special Hall of Fame episode none of you will want to miss.

I just wanted to update everyone on what has been going on. Thank you all for following along, I really do appreciate it.

Galería Completa

una pàgina [val/ca]

Aquesta intervenció artística forma part d'un llibre d'artista col·lectiu, que tracta de definir la diversitat de veus i mirades des del pensament artístic que construeixen el grup d'investigació ABERTURA, és una pàgina. Es tracta d'una de les pàgines de l'edició de la meua novel·la La Dansa dels Margarides, publicada en valencià/català l'any 2010. Cada pàgina ja està signada amb un fragment de la meua pròpia escriptura, literària, a la qual se superposa la meua escriptura pictòrica. Una intervenció pictòrica vinculada a eixa forma que tinc d'entendre el món, com a successió d'esdeveniments de forta energia impulsiva i que guarden una relació permanent entre ells.

De la mateixa manera, a com els meus textos tenen una relació directa amb els traços, les taques de color de la creta i els dibuixos, que no deixen de ser extensions del pensament a través del color i la seua interacció amb la foscor. Cada peça està acabada amb fixació de vernís d'arxiu de Golden, la qual cosa garanteix la seua durabilitat durant dècades, però no impedeix el seu caràcter d'obra efímera, que entra dins del propi cicle universal de la vida.

Cadascuna de les seues peces tindrà un camí incert, en mans d'una persona distinta, per a no tornar a estar juntes mai. Algunes es conservaran emmarcades, unes altres en calaixos oblidats, unes altres es perdran o destruiran, malgrat comptar amb el vernís d'arxiu permanent de Golden. Eixa és la grandesa de l'art efímer i dels recorreguts de cada peça.

La novel·la pot llegir-se de manera lliure en https:/ladansa.ricardramon.net on està sent progressivament alliberada per capítols.

una página [es]

Esta intervención artística forma parte de un libro de artista colectivo, que trata de definir la diversidad de voces y miradas desde el pensamiento artístico que construyen el grupo de investigación ABERTURA, es una página. Se trata de una de las páginas de la edición de mi novela La Dansa de les Margarides, publicada en valenciano/catalán en el año 2010. Cada página ya está firmada con un fragmento de mi propia escritura, literaria, a la que se superpone mi escritura pictórica. Una intervención pictórica vinculada a esa forma que tengo de entender el mundo, como sucesión de acontecimientos de fuerte energía impulsiva y que guardan una relación permanente entre ellos.

Del mismo modo, a cómo mis textos tienen una relación directa con los trazos, las manchas de color de la creta y los dibujos, que no dejan de ser extensiones del pensamiento a través del color y su interacción con la oscuridad. Cada pieza está acabada con fijación de barniz de archivo de Golden, lo que garantiza su durabilidad durante décadas, pero no impide su carácter de obra efímera, que entra dentro del propio ciclo universal de la vida.

Cada una de sus piezas tendrá un camino incierto, en manos de una persona distinta, para no volver a estar juntas jamás. Algunas se conservarán enmarcadas, otras en cajones olvidados, otras se perderán o destruirán, a pesar de contar con el barniz de archivo permanente de Golden. Esa es la grandeza del arte efímero y de los recorridos de cada pieza.

La novela puede leerse de forma libre en https:/ladansa.ricardramon.net donde está siendo progresivamente liberada por capítulos.

one page[en]

This artistic intervention is part of a collective artist's book that seeks to define the diversity of voices and perspectives from the artistic thinking that shapes the ABERTURA research group. It is a page from the edition of my novel La Dansa de les Margarides, published in Valencian/Catalan in 2010. Each page is already signed with a fragment of my own literary writing, overlaid with my pictorial writing. A pictorial intervention linked to my way of understanding the world, as a succession of events with strong impulsive energy that are permanently related to each other.

In the same way, my texts have a direct relationship with the strokes, the patches of colour from the chalk and the drawings, which are extensions of thought through colour and its interaction with darkness. Each piece is finished with Golden archival varnish, which guarantees its durability for decades, but does not detract from its ephemeral nature, which is part of the universal cycle of life.

Each of his pieces will have an uncertain path, in the hands of a different person, never to be together again. Some will be kept framed, others in forgotten drawers, others will be lost or destroyed, despite Golden's permanent archival varnish. That is the greatness of ephemeral art and the journeys of each piece.

The novel can be read freely at https:/ladansa.ricardramon.net, where it is being progressively released chapter by chapter.

#obravisual

11 November 2025

One of the key ideas I was left with after chatting with Edith for the podcast was her awareness/description of painting as an experiential intervention. Which is useful to consider in tandem with attention—her work is characterized by its attentiveness, sensitive to shifting modes of embodied perception and what those different modes imply beyond the sensorial. But what speaking with her about the refinement of her approach taught me was that she is in a constant state of building, destroying, and rebuilding the logic that governs her relationship to deep attention, treating it as something with the potential for both tenderness and violence depending on how it is applied. And what is more important, as an artist, than holding oneself accountable to sustained, detail-oriented mindfulness in the process of reframing and representing experience for an audience?

9 November 2025

In re-unconvering a more considered and precise approach to image-making, I'm aware of a kind of compositional trap that is threatening to emerge, so I'm writing this as a reminder to resist that. It's not useful, to myself or to others, to show images that worry about adhering to logical/neat compositional math. It's constricting. Discovered Susan Te Kahurangi King's drawings recently, (specifically have been studying documentation of those from her 2016 Drawings 1975-1989 show at Andrew Edlin), and they are refreshing in their complete indifference to this kind of presentability. Which I get the sense is natural for her. From some images I've seen of her working, she goes at it flat, nose to paper. As a result, the work grows out of an engrossed state and multiplies organically from corners, edges, or, according to a release I read, more spur of the moment starting points born from existing marks/creases on surfaces.

Pluribus Episode 4: Please Carol

See 100 Word reviews of previous episodes here

Carol can’t help herself as she amps up her war on the Uni-Consciousness. Fun with chemistry turns disastrous as she concocts new ways to hurt Zosia et al.

Watching television crafted by Vince Gilligan is like being in the hands of an artisan who makes beautiful things. As much as the Big Ideas of Pluribus are a philosophy class, the small moments like Carol setting up her camera (has a memory card ever been so cinematic?) or the Paraguayan’s existence in his bunker, communicate vividly.

Some might view Pluribus as a bold defense of individualism; I am not so sure.

#Pluribus #TVReview #VinceGilligan #ScienceFiction #AppleTV #Larrys100 #Drabble #100WordReview

Meredith’s Secret Perversion

#nsfw #glass

All of this black porn worship was starting to have some creeping side effects in her real life. It started one day when she heard the neighbor’s nanny laughing.

The nanny, known to the neighborhood as Joy (a name Meredith overheard once and clings to like a prayer), moves through the next-door yard with a confidence that feels like sunlight breaking through Meredith’s blackout curtains.

Joy’s deep brown skin glows under the sun. Her full curves, thick thighs, generous hips, and soft hourglass figure are hugged by a navy polo. That polo is untucked, and worn khakis that shift with her stride. White sneakers with yellow laces flash as she chases kids, her braids adorned with gold beads swinging past her shoulders. Her loud, infectious laugh spills over the fence as she talks to the neighbors. Her laugh is a warm, unapologetic sound that makes Meredith’s thighs clench and her pulse race.

To Meredith, Joy’s beauty is a sexual trigger. Her radiant skin, dimpled smile, even the stretch-marked thighs peeking from the shorts or skirt she sometimes wears—it all makes Meredith wet. Joy is everything Meredith’s pale, featureless body isn’t. Her forwardness, the way she jokes with neighbors, her subtle and graceful defiance of the HOA’s cold rules; all of it is intoxicating. That laugh is a siren’s call that sends Meredith running to her goon cave, fingers trembling inside her pussy for the goddess she’ll never touch.

She knows watching so much porn is starting to affect her. But this is still better than what she was before. So she embraces it. She willingly accepts that she’s getting worse. She’s basically incurable now and happily spiraling down a very perverted path–alone but whole.

As she listens to Joy’s laughter, Meredith stands naked on the second floor of her goon cave, peeking through the curtains, and touching herself. She knows someone on the outside would call this creepy as hell. Inside, though, it’s just the logical extension of her porn worship. Joy is right there, real and alive. Meredith is paying tribute the only way she knows how.

She slides two fingers inside, gasping—not for the porn this time, but for that voice, that laugh. So easy. Warm. Unafraid. Meredith’s whole chest folds around the sound.

She imagines Joy turning. Looking up. Knowing.

That thought makes Meredith’s hips jerk. She slowly collapses to her knees on the carpet. The porn in her goon shrine keeps playing, but it’s just noise now. She’s on her knees in masturbation induced devotion. She’s praying to the woman she’ll never meet, never touch, never confess to. She’s already been edging for hours. This is the moment she finally lets go.

Fingers slick and trembling, she presses deeper, circling her clit before plunging back in, chasing the raw abandon she imagines in Joy’s world. The words “Black Goddess” loop in her mind, drowning out the pixelated moans from the screens. Her hips buck, desperate. Heat coils low in her belly, unbearable. One hand claws the curtain as she pictures Joy’s dark almond eyes locking onto hers—knowing—and that fantasy snaps the last thread of restraint.

The orgasm crashes through her like a tide breaking a dam. Her back arches, a muffled cry tearing from her bitten lip. Inner walls clench hard around her fingers in frantic, pulsing waves, each contraction flooding her with searing ecstasy that whites out everything else. Thighs trembling, slick with her own release, the pleasure rips through her fingertips, her toes, her scalp. It’s almost painful—so intense it feels like worship, like sacrifice to the unattainable divinity of Joy’s laugh, her curves, her effortless existence.

Meredith’s knees buckle. She sags against the window frame as aftershocks roll through her, softer but relentless. When the waves finally slow, she’s left trembling, fingers still buried inside, coated in the evidence of her surrender. The porn plays on, unnoticed—its fake moans no match for the real-time goddess next door.

Joy’s laugh fades into the afternoon. Meredith whispers “Black Goddess” one last time, voice barely a ghost in the dark room, sealing the ritual. She pulls back from the window, body spent, mind already aching for the next hit, knowing this twisted path is hers alone—and that she wouldn’t trade it for anything.

Our Father Who art in heaven Hallowed be Thy name Thy Kingdom come Thy will be done on Earth as it is in heaven Give us this day our daily Bread And forgive us our trespasses As we forgive those who trespass against us And lead us not into temptation But deliver us from evil

Amen

Jesus is Lord! Come Lord Jesus!

Come Lord Jesus! Christ is Lord!

A wonderful article from El Pais about the impact that interactions with LLMs are having with how people speak to other people. And, yes, the use of ‘delve’ in the title was ironic.

We’re experiencing a ChatGPTification of everything. While we await the life-changing leap promised by companies with multi-million-dollar marketing budgets, the major language models, of which ChatGPT is the most widely implemented, force us to speak with strange words, combining adjectives we would never have used three years ago. We entrust our private life to an entity that could “testify” against us in court in the future (a circumstance that OpenAI CEO Sam Altman himself has warned about), and we revert to magical thinking, believing that for a few dollars a month we have the oracle on our computer.

Since November 2022, when ChatGPT was launched, we’ve become more insecure and prefer to have a robot make decisions for us and write our emails, which we send unread and are unable to remember. We’re working less, it’s true. Perhaps the most cited MIT study of the year, Your Brain on ChatGPT, finds that we’re a little lazier than we were three years ago. We’re also more gullible, mediocre, and, paradoxically, distrustful. We use AI for almost everything, while remaining suspicious of and unwilling to pay for anything that smells synthetic, generated by the very systems we worship.

At scientific conferences where English is the lingua franca, there’s a scarlet letter: the verb “to delve.” “It’s the catchphrase that betrays someone who’s gone too far with ChatGPT,” confirms Ezequiel López, a researcher at the Max Planck Institute. López is co-author of a study that, after analyzing 280,000 videos from academic YouTube channels, showed that 18 months after ChatGPT’s global release, the use of delve had increased by 51% in talks and conferences, and also in 10,000 scientific articles edited by artificial intelligence models. Delve, a verb that was barely used in the pre-ChatGPT era, has become a neon sign that marks anyone who repeats everything Altman’s generative AI spews out. “Now, it’s a taboo word that people avoid because the laughter starts right away,” says López. At this point in the game, ChatGPT rules what we say, but also what we don’t say.

7 November 2025

Two dreams last night split by waking up. The first was a recurring one where I am flying alone high above an urban downtown landscape, thousands of feet in the air. But it's not exactly flying, I'm not flapping my limbs to propel myself. I'm sort of floating, buoyant in the air. I can control my movements up and down in an indirect way, similar to how one might bring an eye floater from one's periphery into their direct field of vision by noticing how looking in a certain direction affects the movement of the floater. In the air I'm aware that I'm feeling a little bit of fear, but it's mostly blissful. Somehow I trust completely in my body's unique relationship to gravity. I can't detect the presence of any other humans from where I am, and there isn't any sound aside from the wind in my ears when I move through it. I simply bounce/float from skyscraper to skyscraper, just gently pushing off of a corner of each one I encounter rather than landing full stop. Each time I have this dream, I'm kind of figuring out the physics of it at the start, but by the end I have worked out how to navigate through the sky at a comfortable pace and it becomes pretty relaxing. Last night I had that dream, woke up around when the sun was rising over London, and then fell asleep again for about an hour. In that hour I had a much quicker dream where I was high in the air again, but this time I was over a bright aquamarine-colored ocean hanging by three silver balloons. I felt more fear in this situation, aware that the balloons were suspending my body and I didn't inherently have the power to float like in the first dream. After hanging for a minute or two, I willingly let go of the balloons and rocketed headfirst toward the water, picking up speed as I approached the surface. As I plunged into it I woke up, sat up in bed, and an ice cold shiver ran from my head to my feet—picture a laser-scan of an object from top to bottom as it is being digitized by some capturing device. It really seemed as though I was feeling the sensation of the water enveloping my body as I entered it.