Friday, February 25, 2005

Quick Trip To Paris

Oooh La La! I'm in Paris, Tennessee, tonight. Will have more to report when I get home tomorrow night.

Wednesday, February 23, 2005

In Lieu of Words

I really do have words to type but my time has otherwise been taken over the last week. Let me take a moment to share some scans...

This photo was taken by my friend Tania using her 28-year-old Canon AE-1 SLR. It reminds me that I have an AE-1 tucked away in a closet somewhere. I can't remember the last time I shot film... her photo is an inspiration to try my hand at it again.

Riomaggiore on the Adriatic coast of Italy, 2004

This was my first attempt at using watercolor pencils.

Hibiscus, 11February05

Michael asked me to paint a watercolor for him. I used a photo from my ride along the historic road and his love of Route 66 as my inspiration.

Route 66, February 2005

Saturday, February 19, 2005

Wishin' and Hopin' and Thinkin'...

... and planning.
A few weeks ago, I thought my planning would be leading me to Washington state for a scouting trip. On a whim and with "The Love Letter" as inspiration, I started researching bookstores for sale. Surprisingly, I found a well-established independent on the market in northwestern Washington which is an area I wouldn't rule out as a place to call home. With the assistance of two friends (who are up to their eyeballs in the business world), research and consideration was given to the potential this shop possessed. A lot of questions were asked and many facts and statistics were reviewed but the ultimate decision came down to what my heart and gut said and it was "no". It was a difficult decision to make and was one I took very seriously. This very well may have been the proverbial pearl I've been hoping to find. I saw it as a chance to finally be my own boss; to use my skills, knowledge and natural talents to earn a living and live my life as I've wished and hoped and thought about. But for now the planning will have to continue as this just wasn't the opulent oyster I've really been looking for.
It's a big sea out there...

Monday, February 14, 2005

Heartsick?

There is no remedy for love but to love more.
-Thoreau

Thursday, February 10, 2005

Artistic Insomnia

This is what I do when I wake at 3am and am ready to start my day:

ATC Collage, *yawn*

Wednesday, February 09, 2005

A Perfect Lunch

It had been nearly three months since I last saw Susan so we met for lunch yesterday and what a perfect lunch it was. Per her suggestion, we went to Gallery Framery to view the work of Steve Mills. WOW... I discovered I like photorealism. To view his paintings is tricky... you find yourself truly questioning whether it is a painting or photograph.

After lunching, Susan went back to work and I walked around San Marco a bit taking pictures of a few more manatees. If you've read through my blog over the last month or so, you've seen other sea cows that I've hunted. I need to go downtown to snag shots of the sea cows located there before they're all up for auction and relocated.


Marilyn Manatee, Jacksonville, FL - February 2005


Wannabe Manatee, Jacksonville, FL - February 2005


Medicine Man-A-Tee, Jacksonville, FL - 2005

Horse Sense

I do this every year the Chinese New Year hits the western media... I question, what is my Chinese Astrological Sign??

Hi, I'm a horse... what's your sign?

Thank goodness for open spaces, because the Horse needs plenty of room to roam! Energetic, good with money and very fond of travel, Horses are the nomads of the Chinese Zodiac, roaming from one place or project to the next. All of this Sign's incessant activity and searching may be to satisfy a deep-rooted desire to fit in. Paradoxically, Horses feel a simultaneous yearning for independence and freedom.

Horses crave love and intimacy, which is a double-edged sword since it often leads them to feel trapped. Love connections tend to come easily to Horses, since they exude the kind of raw sex appeal that is a magnet to others. This Sign tends to come on very strong in the beginning of the relationship, having an almost innate sense of romance and seduction. Horses are seducers in general; check out any A-list party and you're bound to find the Horse in attendance. This Sign possesses a sharp wit and a scintillating presence; it really knows how to work a crowd. Surprisingly, Horses tend to feel a bit inferior to their peers, a misconception that causes them to drift from group to group out of an irrational fear of being exposed as a fraud.

An impatient streak can lead Horses to be less than sensitive to others' needs. These colts would rather take a situation firmly in hand as opposed to waiting for others to weigh in or come to terms with it. The lone wolf inside the Horse can at times push others away, but this also makes this Sign stronger and is a key to its success. Horses are self-reliant and, though they might lose interest fast in a tedious, nine-to-five day job, are willing to do the work necessary to get ahead.

Horses tend not to look much at the big picture; instead they just follow their whims, which can result in a trail of prematurely ended relationships, jobs, projects and so on. This Sign really knows how to motivate others, though, and get a lot accomplished. Once they find some peace within themselves, they can curb their wandering tendencies and learn to appreciate what's in their own backyard.

The most compatible match for a Horse is the Dog or the Tiger.

Sunday, February 06, 2005

Elephants or... Football?

I'm not really interested in the Super Bowl, even though I live in the host city... so I play with paint.

I'm doing an exchange with someone who requested two elephant themed ATCs. Here's what I came up with.

Saturday, February 05, 2005

Netted and Bald

While waiting for my delicious Boar's Head Londonport roast beast to be sliced, a fellow deli customer asked the bald deli guy the following:

"Do you REALLY need to wear a hair net?"

I was too busy laughing to hear his response.

Friday, February 04, 2005

Internal Critic Be Damned!

Sometimes I find myself dreadfully and painfully jealous of artists, well, writers and photographers, too. Oh, and graphic designers and interior decorators and hmm, lessee, who else? Children, yeah, them, too. All of these people have either never faced an internal critic *the bitch within, as I call her* or they have slayed her to free themselves to creativity.

Sometimes I find myself anxiously and eagerly awaiting quiet moments of mental peace when I can devote time to creative efforts. Most of the time I need a catalyst for action. A question will make me write. A friend's birthday will cause me to make a card. And sometimes, I need a bit more pressure so I'll sign up for an exchange through Nervousness.org. Feeling a little time constraint and knowing that someone, somewhere is expecting me to hold my weight is just the little nudge I need to sit down to play. Create.

Sometimes, like tonight, I made four ATCs (artist trading cards) to keep on hand for future exchanges. I've already sealed one in a handmade envelope to mail so it didn't make the scan-shoot. Below are the three that remain. What is not visible on the middle ATC are the words DO BE DO. No one said it any better than Frank.

Thursday, February 03, 2005

Secret, It's Not Just a Deodorant

Reading this website has made me question: do I have any secrets? It seems I've shared a secret with at least one person and not one person knows all my secrets.

Are Ya Ready For Some Football?

This Jacksonville Jaguar fan apparently is! I understand there's some big o' game of grab-ass going on in town this week. Seems like a pretty good time to go for a ride.

"Fanatee", New Year's Eve '04, Jacksonville, FL

Tuesday, February 01, 2005

Little Miss Cattitude

My cats and I get along great and we share a lot in common. For instance, we all love to sleep. Here's Cleo after I woke her from a nap. Once again, something in common: bad attititude.

Cleo is one of three sisters in my house. I adopted the trio a few months after my 22-year-old Siamese died. It took me a while to get over her death, she had been a part of my life, my family, since Valentine's Day when I was seven years old. "The Girls" are each very different and special in their own ways. Cleo is often called "special"... sometimes referred to as "touched". She's a kooky kitty who enjoys showering with me and has a deep-seeded passion for plastic. She's a savant, perhaps. I believe she takes apart the electrical equipment in the house at night and puts them back together before I rise. She could operate the VCR unlike me but I've never held that against her. She has mesmerizing sky blue eyes and is truly one sweet sissy, as I often call her.