Collage by Hollis HIldebrand-Mills/ Oscar Statuette courtesy of AMPAS
“If you build it, they will come.” – A quote from the movie “Field Of Dreams.” I am a believer in my ability to make things happen.
I could give you many examples of how I manifest my dreams. If a person is certain something will happen, and is focused enough on the goal, the subconscious mind will make it so.
A recent example of this: Although I am allergic to cats, I love them. Disregarding the allergist’s advice, I had two cats for many years, until they both died of old age. I have been catless for fifteen years. With a friend the other night, she told me Siamese cat dander is different – I would not be allergic to Siamese cats! And suddenly the possibility of having another cat was there!
A few days later, I was downstairs, hanging the remaining unsold collages from my “Afloat” show. They had been stored in boxes at my studio and I wanted to enjoy them. I looked out the window and there was a Siamese cat coming up the steps from our woods! I practically fell off the ladder! No! Not again! Have I manifested this?
You long-time blogger friends know that Vince Wiggins and I collaborated to make my animated video, “Bread In The Sky.” Not totally believing it, skeptical, of course, but all the same, together we have been occasionally visualizing winning an Academy Award for our video. (In the category of Best Animated Short Film.) Yes, a far flung dream. Yes, a long shot. Even so, he and I were at it again recently and we visualized the entire red carpet thing. A few times. We got to the place where we each brought our Oscars home. Vince knew exactly where he was going to place his statuette. But there, I was uncertain. I did not know where I would put mine. Did this mean I do not want an Academy Award? I mean, come on! Everyone wants an Oscar! Or did it mean I just cannot imagine (literally) receiving the highest award in the world for a short film? I mean, really, “Bread In The Sky?” It would certainly shock the art critic who gave it a bad review! The critic told me a few months later that after seeing it again, it was the projection room I built that made him feel claustrophobic. It tainted his opinion. He rewrote the original review in a slightly more positive light.
I am not saying that work does not help make your dreams come true. That projection room was not easy to build. Not to mention the months of tedious animation time I put in for that 17 minute film. Anyone who has ever done this knows. But where to place Oscar? Do I want this? Me not filling in that one important blank…..get this down, folks….. of knowing where I am going to place my statuette, signifies doubt and doubt prevents manifestation. Do I want to win an Academy Award?
I have not seen the cat lately. He must have a home. Or, because I have bronchitis, the cat will not appear. Intentions. Do they affect the outcome of the dreams in your life?
Copyright Hollis Hildebrand-Mills 2014 All Rights Reserved
Hollis Hildebrand-Mills 
Wait… does this mean we can get a Siamese cat?
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I’m not sure. Have to check with the allergist. Maybe KW is wrong. but it was really exciting for a while. Thanks for commenting, sweetie!
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The other day, I was craving peanut butter at work so badly I wanted to cry. Then a teacher friend walks in and, without me even asking, pulls out a little to-go cup of peanut butter and asks me if I want it. OK I realize this is not as important as visualizing a pet or an academy award, but in the moment I swear to you she was like an angel to me! LOL! Plus, it was just too weird – HOW DID SHE KNOW?!
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Mareymercy: That’s it That’s how it works. It is so weird, isn’t it? How did it come to you like that? If we could really get a grip on this, we could have the world (if it’s intended for us to have) Thanks for commenting. Hope things are going well for you now.
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Wow, Hollis! I had heard you mention your Bread in the Sky, but had not seen any of it yet. I am overwhelmed and wish I had pursued my search before. I am sure you have this on another post, just did not take the time to see it. The rotating pieces of bits of things with the ever expanding bread slices, coming towards the viewer is wonderful and very creative, Hollis. I am so thankful you gave me a ‘second chance’ at seeing part of this.
Oh, please dream of where you will put the Oscar! Now! You deserve to have this wonderful opportunity to win! Use your imagination, where will it go? smiles!! hugs and am so proud of this!
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Oh thank you , Robin!!! Well, I really believe in visualizing. I remember when I first quit my three jobs. (Yes I’ve been there.) And started to paint full time, I thought, “Now if I only could be in the Museum of Modern Art, New York” I really kept it on the top of my mind. I wrote it down with my left hand! All those things! Then I saw an ad for a juried exhibition with the curator being from MoMA NY and I applied. Was selected. So it does work. Now the curator is a major curator there. My painting hangs in our house and people comment on it and I go “Well…….”
Thanks for the faith with this one. I am not so sure about this visualization though. But maybe I’ll grow into it. Now to convince Vince! 🙂 We were kidding around mostly. If I were to ask him for his help with the paper work and having the screenings, etc, it may be a different story….Hahaha! He probably will kill me when he sees this blog anyway!
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Now, Vince should catch your enthusiasm and remember to tell him, “Nothing ventured, nothing gained,” Hollis!
I am so glad you told me about your ‘crooked’ path, it is true, we each have had some different upheavals and you have got yourself back in the right ‘groove,’ my friend! I can see this happening, but in any case, so glad you had a painting in the MoMA NY and this is such a great honor to have been selected.
You know my brother’s art is quite interesting, Hollis. He is on facebook. I am not on FB. He is always chasing his dream of art in many media forms! Randy is working with a muralist who is ‘famous’ while they both ‘slave’ away at a Black Light Miniature (Inside) Golf place! His name is Randall D. Oldrieve, if you are ever interested in seeing his wide variety of art. He was grateful for a Phoenix, Arizona judge who selected his natural piece which to me reminds me of the holy spirit, a piece of blown glass in a manger, made with wooden stand, cement and rock based place for the lily shaped glass to be set. It has been in churches and now resides in my younger brother’s house. He is always telling me it is a ‘pot shot’ to get fame and fortune, since it is feast or famine in his life! Also, totally depends on the taste of the judges, along with that ever-present “politics.”
My favorite things Randy creates are wooden carved sculptures. smiles!
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Nice for your brother, Randy, Robin. I will look him up! His piece sounds very sound.
And I can see why it was chosen. But I agree with him….. the temperament of the judges and the all-consuming politics. As for you, don’t give up, the paths that are crooked are often the ones that lead to the best! Also thank you so much for your encouragement about my video. Who knows??????
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I love how the sub conscious mind is so powerful and how two seemingly random trains of thought can come together. As I finished reading this post and having watched Bread in the Sky, it suddenly became obvious to me. Like a bolt of lightning. You will get that cat Hollis, and you’ll name him Oscar.
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I had a good laugh over that! But then…you always make me laugh! Yes, I guess if we were able to have him, we’d name him Oscar. (boy), girl, Jenny??????
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PS that’s not to say you don’t deserve an award for your film. Is that what it sounded like? It is early in the morning, that came out wrong. I’ve just read that it’s National Kindness Day too… 😱
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Oh, no worries, you are so funny, I knew what you meant. 🙂
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What a complex post. Yes, intentions. While you’re figuring out if you really want that Oscar, why don’t you just clear off a table and stick up a candle as a placeholder. Carve into the candle “Oscar,” and you will be conceptualizing your award every time you look at the candle. But just don’t burn it.
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Interesting, Luanne! I have heard of all sorts of this kind of thing before. Should I do this one? If I do, it will be “in secret.” 🙂 Thanks for your comment!
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Intriguing stuff. I do believe in the power of positive thinking. It definitely nudges things along. 🙂
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Yes it does. Kourtney, do you do this with your publishing? Send out into the world little positive affirmations?
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I envision what I want to happen. Sort of like daydreaming but also sending a powerful wish out to the universe of what I want in my future. 🙂
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Exactly. It works!
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Forget where to put the Oscar, what will you wear? How many times have you thought of a person and shortly they contact you! You know we were always impressed with Bread in the sky!
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Oh, Marjie!! How much you lift me up with those words. Thank you so much!!!!! I will focus on what I will wear. Probably J.Jill with some sparkly off the shoulder top. However, Vince and I have to look like the geeks that usually accept that kind of award.(no offense, film animators) Sort of what I was going for when I did that picture above!!! Hahaha.!!!!
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Hollis, sub conscious I wanted to be here and congratulate you… I did it, so it is time for you to lift your Oscar. x
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Doran, I am lifting it and it is heavy. But the thrill makes it wonderful! Thank you for the sweet, sweet believing in me!!!!!!!
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I believe in it all Hollis – the intention -setting, positive affirmations, the visualization etc and know it works for me – not always in the way I hoped it would but always in a way that ultimately makes me a better person 😀 I can SEE you and Vince with your Oscars Hollis!
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Wow, Yolanda! Wow!
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Well, after reading this and watching your video, I was going to tell you to just pick place, Hollis. Hurry up and pick a place to put it. But then I thought about what you said. I guess the first is to decide–Do you want it? I love the cat story because I’m allergic to dogs but I live with an eighty pound monster. 😀
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Elizabeth, you put your finger on my dilemma! But since I posted this, I find myself leaning more and more toward the red carpet. In fact, as I prepare for Thanksgiving dinner, I find myself thinking about shaping the mashed potatoes in the shape of an Oscar! 🙂
Thanks so much for reading this and commenting. It’s a hard post to know how “to take!”
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Piercing question wrapped in humor, as always! Do intentions affect the outcome of our dreams for our lives? Wow, I believe we attract what we want. If we want success, if we want goodness, if we want peace our attitude matters. We attract what we want most and our intentions do seem to affect our dreams. Not that they control what comes into our lives but they make us ready and keep us open to the things we long to see come to fruition. Great stuff, you always make me think and smile!! 🙂
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Oh Eli, thank you! It is a hard post to “get” I know that. I really think Vince will kill me after reading this blog, let alone having us go though all the steps to apply!
As I told Elizabeth above, I am visualizing carving n Oscar out of the Thanksgiving mashed potatoes!
We do make our lives. Luck is preparedness coupled with opportunity. Thanks so much for reading this!!!!
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I have known Hollis forever, or at least pretty close to forever. She has been nagging me for months to post something on her blog about Nesselrode pie, And I have been promising to do that for months. Unfortunately, I have been sick for at least a month and a half, sick enough so that I actually slept through Thanksgiving dinner. Nonetheless, I guess guilt gets the best of all of us sooner or later. I actually dictated this a few days ago, But I told Hollis I wanted to to wait until my younger son came home for Thanksgiving, so I could ask him some technical details. Wouldn’t you know it, what I had dictated disappeared in the meantime. I expected him to be able to find it, even though he keeps telling me he’s not a computer geek. He still knows a zillion times more about computers than I do. Unfortunately, he was no help.
In any event, the first thing you have to know about Nesselrode pie is that it does not exist. There is no restaurant in this country that serves it, nor is there any bakery that makes it, that is, assuming you can believe the postings on the Internet. Back in my younger days, which seems like centuries ago, as I remember, there was only one place you could get it. This was Zabar’s, a famous deli on Manhattan’s Upper West Side. However, my mother had gone to art school in New York City, and she had two sisters who lived there, so it was not altogether unusual for us to visit New York or for one of them to visit us.
Nesselrode pie is named for Count Nesselrode, a famous Russian diplomat who negotiated the treaty to end the Crimean War. The next thing you have to know about it is that it is not for the faint of heart. It is not recommended for dieters, and it is guaranteed to promote diabetes. It is made with two, maybe three, different kinds of cream, candied fruit, and shaved chocolate. If you smell it, you will probably inhale a million calories. If you actually taste it, you will probably consume about a zillion calories per tablespoon.
Even if you cannot buy it anywhere, if you are brave enough, there are several recipes available on the Internet.
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Good comment Bill!! I guess it is probably the most obscure pie on the planet. I have to ask the pie o logist about the meaning!!! But I ‘ll move it to the pie o logy blog first!!!!
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