Hi from Mars

(Chicago to Germany
Fri, 11 May 2001)

Hi Dear Eric!

I'm not actually on Mars in case you were a bit
worried but I might as well be, I'm in Chicagø, the
land of big cars. And big hearts. These Americans
aren't so bad even though I like to give them hell and
leave them as often as I can.

I just came back from another trip to India. I've
been here for only two weeks and am so easily adjusted
back. Last year coming back here almost killed me
after so many years in Germany and then India. It's
true I was one step away from death. But of course I
survive all. Even you. :) You aint so bad. And
you really know how to roll your cigarette! I will never
ever forget my time in Germany it was the best in the
whole world (and the toughest). I forgot about my
post-its but it made me smile to remember them. And
I was very very happy to get your e.mail although it
took a bit of time to write back. Those things are
the best in life. People. Experiences. Opening the
heart. bla bla bla.. you know me.


I'm sorry to hear about your teeth. Illness is the
worst of worst. I hope you have recovered well by now.
It' such a strain emotionally to be sick. I still
have a funny picture of you at your desk and I tell
people it's my friend in Frankfurt whom I stayed with
in my never ending trek of staying with people. I am
still homeless but free and happy. I sold my condo
and made enough money to invest it and have some
security while I explore my wings, and work. I
worked all last summer and Fall freelance at EURO RSCG
doing PA and Jr. Producer work. No big desire to do
big jobs. I worked so hard getting my condo ready
for sale, working full time in a job I hadn't done for
4 years in this country and in moving boxes and myself
around, finding a car and family responsibilities and
everything. Not to mention culture shock. It
really was hard. This year it's a piece of cake but
now to find a job.

And....dear Eric of the Eric family singers...... so
happy to hear from you. I hope work is booming for
you and when I have a home I hope you will bring your
tent and sleep in my backyard. Julia too. A little
joke. My connecting flight through Zurich had me
craving to jump off the plane and stay in Europe. In
your house. Hiding from the world of big cars and
refrigerators. I think I will live in Europe again
someday.

I hope your daughter likes the States it is the best
experience in the world to go away to another country.
That is a very nice dad. If she ever needs anything
she can call me. Seriously. I have a cell phone
and am here till the Fall.

I hope you are happy and healthy and I hope to see you
again someday. My feet have wings so look for me.

Love to you,
Milijana

P.S. I have German karma, so many I meet in India.
God wants to torture me for never learning German. My
roommate was a young professional Ballerina who did
Tibetan Yoga poses in a field next to the ashram as
the sun would set. Zehr Gut!

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The future doesn't exist

(from Chicago to Eric in Germany
Jun 2001)

If it makes you feel better, your bad English
makes me laugh. It isn't that bad really but a huge
improvement isn't evident so quite clearly my leaving
Germany has left many with a language handicap. And I
don't miss all the people telling me to slow down and
talk slowly, meaning mostly you! Now I can talk as
fast as I want to anyone that wants to listen. Which
is some sometimes and none the rest of the time. I
think I'm rambling because I'm drinking decaf coffee
at an internet cafe in Chicago since I don't have a
computer and don't even drink coffee.

And I think the best would be if someday I parachute
out of an airplane when I'm flying over Europe and
land right in your upstairs bedroom and the only way
you and Julia would ever know is that you would find
me eating breakfast in your kitchen one day. With a
big smile on my face.

Anything to escape life back in States! Your daughter will
have a new meaning for boring after Washington. Not
really. She is in for a culture shock though. I was
and I am an American, of sorts.

And if you trashed a letter that has a check for a
million dollars I'm going to come and feed you
chocolate cookies til you're really really fat not
just a few kilometers or is that kilos? And Julia
will have to roll you to work instead of watching you
roll a cigarette.

Ok?

And don't worry about the future it doesn't exist nor
does the past therefore I'm enjoying myself and not
looking for work. At least not today. No poses in
fields either. I loved that girl she was the best!
And I never learned the Tibetan Yoga poses she was
doing but when in the States, the first book I saw on
my friends couch was on them and so I am doing them
and they are super. Supposed to keep you young
forever. Really. Straight from the Himalayas not
commercial at all. I'll send her to your home for
lessons. Zehr Gut?

I went on one interview with DDB Needham and that was
enough to make me never want to work in advertising
again. Agencies are such scheize sometimes. And I
have been away from it so long and am also at that age
where it just doesn't have almost any attraction so I
too am starting my book. Actually looking for writing
workshops because writing gives me such pleasure and
joy and satisfaction. An important word. And in
truth working at EURO RSG last year also brough me
satisfaction of another sort so I will probably be
back working very soon. Can't escape it. Advertising
that is.

And I am so happy for you to start doing short
stories cause I think it makes doing the stuff for
money easier to swallow. Know what I mean? Do it do
it do it do it. Then translate it and send it to me.
I love words. Growing up, they were always my best
and sometimes only friends.

There is so much beauty in creativity. Makes life
worth living. Creating, expressing. Just like that
big old creator making all those mountains you like to
hike. And beautiful nature you like to adore. Did you
know it was adoring you as well. Just as you are
looking at it in marvel it is looking back at you and
marveling at the beauty of You as pure potential and
expression of all beauty manifest as well. Did you
know that? So next time you see something beautiful
(other than me that is) remember it is seeing you as
beautiful as well and deeply moved right back. Isn't
that a nice idea. It just came to me. Never heard it
before. But I see things visually and as I pictured
you sitting adoring the side of amazing acts of God I
saw it looking the same way back at you and that...is
beautiful. Just like me. Well, it's always harder to
see it in yourself so I'll let you and the mountains
have your love affair. Before I try and have them
loving me.

Oh my. India was so great and so intense and so
unbelievable and timeless and I learn so much and so
much is done to me and through me and so much of bad
things taken away. I see a big change this time
around and it's anger which seems to be missing and
real healing with family. I'm living near my sister
and absolutely loving it and being an Aunt a real one
for the first time, picking up my nephew at school
babysitting for the new baby and spending time in
their new house and just appreciating things I was too
busy running to know before. A new calm (yes me) and
quiet joy and I am just really happy. And like you I
don't know what the future holds but it just keeps
getting better and better so how can I doubt that as
long as I do the best with what is in front of me that
it will continue to be an expansion. We do create our
own reality. Or have a big part to play in it. SO
create some good things! You have so far. I remember
when you used to be employed at the Agency! Yek! remember
that! Just another employee now you're on your own and
you've done well. Appreciate yourself! They say an
attitude of gratitude and appreciation is the magnet
that brings good things. And to be able to visualize
your dream. Concretely to picture it. Good thoughts
positive thinking positive results.

I think we know my new career :) People would either
love me or really hate me!

I just moved into a small but nice studio apartment
near my sister in a great neighborhood with lots of
Arts and bookstores and cafes and families and can't
believe it, have my boxes finally with me! Lot's of
Sai Baba books too! Of course. Now to get a computer
and a job and write and plan my next adventure a sane
trip - no more on the run. And it will probably be
India in the winter…. you never know where you'll find me....

I want the world. Bruce Springsteen once said that.
And look at him. Actually I want him.

Silly me.

Glad you aint smoking. Be healthy. Be happy. And
find a field. Not to take a pee. That's what you need
for Thai Chi. I need some Thai food.

Tshuss! Enjoy Mallorca,
Let the mountains love you,
And a big Hare Krishna to you too,

Milijana
"The Present is a product of the past but it is also
the seed for the future" Sai Baba

"Human conduct is ever unreliable until man is
anchored in the Divine. Everything in the future will
improve if you are making a spiritual effort now"
Autobiography of a Yogi
(Quote I've carried around for 11 years on tattered,
torn piece of paper. I still have my map of Frankfurt
in my day book, tattered and torn).
SAI RAM!

http://girlskirtmission.com/home.htm

What is real?

(after spending six months
in India back to Chicago Aug 2000)

bugaboo....

thank you for that wonderful e.mail. Makes me think I
aint in the big black hole known as homeland.
And....yes my mood can be extreme at times but
I come from extremes it's hard to know what to hold on
to when your venue changes so many times. From India
to Germany to Chicago to advertising with faces I've
seen or known since 1985. It's disorienting and
strange. Sometimes I see someone who looks familiar
and realize, no, that is someone from Frankfurt.

Makes you wonder what is real. Did Germany really
happen? Did I joke and smoke (or at least you did)
with Solveig in the TV studio and get my car washed
and my head smacked and sell all my furniture and my
car and all my belongings again and everything moved
around and rearranged like a puzzle that keeps being
put together and taken apart again and again and
again. And you get used to it but it sure is hell
some of the time. (These words are for you and not
general reading ok?).

And of course I don't mind you got the mail I still
have your handwritten note with your address it wasn't
in my stolen wallet. But my German drivers license
was and so a lot of Germany was swiped away and there
is no going back you can only go forward but it's a
question of how you use what you have behind you to
build what is in front of you. And I know I will never
live a simple closed unconscious life. I will
always need to be free and able to move in the world.
I feel this time is not about getting planted it's
about clearing the road of debris and putting things
in order so I can take the next step. You'll see me
in Europe again. God has a funny way of working and
my life will always be an expansion not a contraction.
It's the only way to give birth to your dreams.

Oh boy.

My sister had one 24 hrs. after I arrived. I've been
back for almost two months and had a lot taking up my
time with family and practical things in the re-launch.

Thank you for the news flash on my furniture it was
really touching that my incense still fills your room
at times and to know that my things are in such good
hands. IT took me back. Thanks for the gift. Those
things were so dear to me and now they are dear to
you. Like a heart transplant.

The world is a crazy place and I'm sorry to hear about
the bombings and neo activities there I haven't been
tuning into the news. It's too depressing. And so
unfortunate. Germany will always have a special place
for me. I only hope and hold to the vision that the
world will someday become a saner place.

You're lovely.

Let me know how your job is and life. I start
freelance next week so won't be at the computer
(friends house) as much but will also send you a
postcard or two or three.

Enjoy Paris!
Love
Milijana

The Story of the Skirt

"I want to take over the world.

And do it with a skirt.

To teach it Love."

* The girl skirt mission was born from one skirt in one suitcase coming back from India after an extended ashram stay.

* The first girl skirt mission skirt was discovered in a hair salon of a small remote village in India. It then chose to multiply in multitudes of colors and various expressions of its magnificence.

* The girl skirt mission name was conceived in meditation with the three words visually coming together to form a very interesting domain name.

* The girl skirt mission mission statement, "I want to take over the world. And do it with a skirt. To teach it Love", came from three sentences pulled from a long email sent to a yogi friend in Bosnia and written in the passion of the moment as a true sentiment.

* Mick Jagger and the Rolling Stones visited the wholesale shop where the skirt fabrics are produced in India one week prior to the skirt mission's first visit. The shop owners did not realize who they were til they left but did sell them some fabrics.

* Rosario Dawson wore the red fancy girl skirt mission skirt on stage at the Apollo Theater in Harlem, NY while doing a V-Day monologue entitled "My Short Skirt". Present in the audience were Jane Fonda, Tony Childs, Marisa Tomei, Gloria Steinem and Isabella Rossellini.

* Not being able to cope with the Western world and material life and the thought of doing a business after many years of living a single pointed Bhakti (devotional) life in India, the skirt mission was almost abandoned before it truly began.

* The few original samples of girl skirt mission garments were carried around and shown reluctantly in a tearing Whole Foods brown paper bag.

* The only reason the skirt mission was not abandoned before it began was due to a dream in which the Guru came and simply said: "Stay in worldly life." All doors were to spring open after that.

* The girl skirt mission was conceived and nurtured in one room with one bed, one laptop, one dream and one altar.

* The first words put on paper in an attempt to define and give birth to the mission were "I have a dream…and it's wrapped around a skirt". It was done at the kitchen table.

* Bringing the girl skirt mission products to the US took 2.5 years 4 trips to India, three factories, two potential investors, a few headaches and one angel.

* The manufacturers of the girl skirt mission pant fabrics in India had never previously sold their goods to a woman nor had a Westerner ever walked through their door.

* The manufacturer of the girl skirt mission pant fabric in India was found after a single bicycle was spotted on a crooked narrow road, stacked with colorful orange fabric, bicycling to a factory.

* The Milijana name is a birth name given within the rolling hills of the former Yugoslavia by a grandmother who wore long gray braids rolled under a babushka, had one proud tooth to chew her meals and lived through the second world war.

* This beloved grandmother who was nurturer and mother and a survivor and knew all her flock of sheep by name was killed in the raging war between the Croats and the Serbs in the former Yugoslavia.

* The girl skirt mission's main aim is to serve as a reminder that Divinity is the essence of all living beings.

"I honor the boundless in you which seeks to know itself.
I honor the infinite in you, which seeks to realize Self.
I honor its' full manifestation which is Love itself."

Namaste
girlskirtmission


I want to take over the world.
And doe it with a skirt.
To teach it Love.

http://girlskirtmission.com/home.htm

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It's night time in Bangalore

(First India trip for skirt mission Oct 2003)

Hi D.J., it is...night time in Bangalore and it's been
raining for few days straight. A novelty. Turns out
it's been paid for rain, I was told Americans are
dropping some chemicals (!???) to bring some much needed
moisture to the area and the Indians are paying a
hefty sum for it. Stranger than strange. Or was that
the burlap bag I saw from my rickshaw that was hanging
on a guys handlebars and brimming over with cut up
chicken legs. Raw. yum.

I love you. I love India. I love Sylvia. And I
haven't even seen Bhagavan Sri Sathya Sai Baba yet.

After a rough start landing Tues. night with a
horrible hotel being recommended and escaping in a
rickshaw with my luggage in the rain and jet lag.....

It's day four and great we've accomplished much. I
can't believe the things we've found. Same as before
but with some additions. I first spent two days in
Delhi. Good meeting with factory head. They are
awaiting these new fabrics, there are 3-4 new colors
and trims that look like the most dazzling saris
you've ever seen and will make a very nice addition.
I think women will go crazy for them.
You can't believe how beautiful they are. All are from
the same shop. And price is very close to the same.
WE FOUND THE BEST heavy dark cottons with prints that
are made in the North and they are going to make the
BEST big sack pants, and ...for Fall wear. They give
me a thrill. I am in fact only thrilled. Everything
to date exceeds my expectations.

Will tell you in person the funny coincidence of how
Julia and I first met up via telephone. Literally like finding
a needle in the haystack of India.

In two days we've hunted and gathered and fought with
rickshaw drivers (or she has) she is a feisty little
Argentinan terrorizing unsuspecting little Indian men
with her thick rolling accent and "milihana"s.

Best news in the whole world is...I don't need to go
to the State where the fabrics are made to do my own
sourcing. Sylvia has all along been telling that the
shop where she buys can also make...but I assumed they
were retailers trying to get in on something. Sylvia
does not trust anyone, she stays at the register and
negotiates material per meter down by 5 rupees and
checks all the math. She fights and tells bad shop
keepers she is not foreigner she lives in India (they
charge special prices for Westerners). She is plain
funny. But very good for me. She knows
Bangalore inside and out and all the places. From two
years of footwork. And it is exhausting work under
these circumstances and contrary to my previous
belief, these little sources are a find. The shop where she buys
she actually likes the men. Really, she doesn't like
or trust anyone in India. These men are retailers
with a good business (hand loom is a specialty and
when they get stuff it's gone quickly).
And they are wholesalers, on the second floor a nice
(Indian style) office with clients from abroad
and... Mick Jagger was there with a few of the Stones..
they didn’t know who they were til they were gone!

And thirdly they work direct with weavers. They are three
relatives. One is in charge of sourcing from master
weaver who employs about ...20,000 families in twenty villages in some
State (won't tell exactly where). But they are one of
the ones keeping the art form alive. Hand loom is
becoming more rare. AND these villagers only practice
the ancient art form as taught by old time master
weavers. That is why the product they make is so
good. The German lady client bought up everything
they had in stock and took it to Bombay (for
manufacture). She told them don't let the art form die..
And we sat at end of long day..(had to search other shops for some colors and
fabrics they didn't have) ...we sat upstairs and cut
swatches of all the bundles being sent to Delhi and
wrote instructions and notes and sizes to be made and
meters and....had some tea and I asked a lot of
questions about timings and process and them and their
villages and had some arguments if Sai Baba actually
is God.

But best potential this presents is...simplicity of
supply chain. I can have trims and fabrics made by
same place. And I really like them as people. And
Sylvia has had work experience to test them for one
year.

Back to villagers:
This would mean having them produce all trims and
fabrics. (each village does one color or design, they
have 20 managers one for each village). The way I
described to them I would order and have back up
fabric also made is exactly how they
run....AND we "The Girl Skirt Mission"
could...adopt the villages?? (just my thoughts so far).
They produce for one client enough fabric for 1,000
suits (7,000 meters) a month so...they do have this
capacity.

WOULD love to put pictures of the weavers (women and
men do it) and the dyers and all the people that make
the girl skirts and their story of keeping this
ancient art form alive on ..the website. Maybe build
them a ...small school, toilet, who knows what ...down
the line. THIS is a great idea. It feels really
right. I'm so happy.

So....I write from the internet cafe across from my
nice hotel (sorry was only two nights and only way...to do this right)
It's like a remote island to escape from the toil of the day.
We've done our job for now... tomorrow four days in
Puttaparthi (one dollar a night rate :)...and back in
Bangalore to finish up some more materials they are
holding and more of the pants all next week. I'll be
in Delhi last two days or so to oversee the finishing
and pack my suitcases filled with goodies. This
is...the best yet.

Ms. Sylvia has an Italian women in the ashram bringing
her magazines from Italy for Spring...all is Indian.
She wants Sylvia to make some things for her to sell,
and she was considering it...until I slapped her
skinny thong wearing ass.

She started designing by making her own clothes and
having people constantly stop here and ask where she
bought them.

I'm tired and it's late and I've done Thursday and
you've just started. Feels good to be leading the
world in time. Or at least the USA. Wish I had time
to stand on my head.

XXOO
send me a boo
I'm off to the village and to make a few samples there
to test the new trims and fall at Swami's feet with gratitude.
I don't jest.
Big hugs and Love,
Milijana

lampoon the humans

I've been trying to lampoon the humans ever since I
realized I wasn't human. I'm from the moon.

Listen, coolie.
I really truly cannot make a walk.
Or talk.
My office is my home and it is my castle and my
mystical magical imagination laden cocoon where I
create as I go along and on my death bed I would say I
wish I had been more productive at that computer and
made all the things that swirl in my head and my heart
come into fruition and dispel the darkness that is all
around.

From darkness to Light.

I really do have work that is my own creation and it
is taking all my time. Just like if you and the band
were touring the nation. It would take all of YOUR
time. right?

Well, I'm touring the nation only I aint moving.

So thank you Mr. funny and funky trumpet man.
My problem is I love people but I don't necessarily
have to see them :)

I have a clothing line and I manufacture in India and
I just got back from 5 weeks on the moon. The streets
in some of the villages or towns I had to visit are
all torn up. Craters as big as the moon. Car was
bouncing like we were bobbing for apples. It was sea
sickness but with more pollution.

SO my little mission of dressing the world is my
passion and great ambition and therefore I have no
other interests to entertain at this given instance.

It is late again. And again I am typing when I should
not be cause it aint safe. Me at night time at the computer.

So hey, be swell. Live life grand and great and make
that piano sing a song loud and strong.

Ok. I is now signing out.
take care.
Of all that is you and yours and alive in the
universe.
m.


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I've run away from home!

Thu, Dec 20, 2007

I've run away from home and not coming back!
Well, sorta. I'm still in India and returning in
early part of January it seems. (ended up March!)

My life is clearly now on two lands.
I come only once a year (used to do 2 trips) and
am set up to be able to be away longer and...
making some new designs new fabrics (Organic!)
and spending time based in the ashram which is a global village
of it's own.
It's a place where I have a community away from home and a spiritual center
where I can go into another orbit :)

I DO MISS OAK PARK at times and...snow!
Here toooo much rain. All messy. My whites are now polka dots.
Lot of muddy puddles and streets.

I also have "Indian hair" to quote a factory folk.
Meaning the salon dyed my hair a bit darker than expected!

Oh the fun of it all!!

Miss you and hope to see you SOON.
MY YOGA HAS GONE into idle.... it is sad but have been practicing very little.
BUT nicest thing is that... whenever you want it... it's still there.
My mat awaits me in the other room like a good friend.

LOVE AND MISS ALL OF YOU.
HAVE a wonderful holiday season.
milijana

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