Hey Jude ...

I saw Across the Universe Friday night ... it was the perfect way to get my head out of the work week and into the weekend. An amazing movie full of incredible visuals and music telling a touching story.



Already bought the soundtrack and making note to get the extended version when it comes out on October 23 ...

So I'm readin' Real Simple ...

Opening page there's a B&W photo of a spiderweb between blades of grass covered in dew and this ...

The Three Rules of Work

1. Out of clutter, find simplicity.
2. From discord, find harmony.
3. In the middle of difficulty lies opportunity

~ Attributed to Albert Einstein

Thinkin' maybe this needs to find its way into an art project ... might help keep me sane at the day job.

Artfest 2008!

I'm in! My Artfest 2008 confirmation packet arrived yesterday and it looks like this time it's all about metal ... tin, copper, various bits of wire ...

On Thursday, I'll be taking Who's Your Dada with Linda & Opie O'Brien and on Friday I get to see the O'Briens again for Flat to Stacked. I've been wanting to take one of their classes for awhile and bought their book Metal Craft Discovery Workshop at Artfest earlier this year. So now I get to look forward to not one but two Linda & Opie classes.

Saturday, it's a Necklace Journal class with Tom & Ramona Ashman. (Tom Ashman made a great goat head in Liz McGrath's Mounted Monsters class in 2006 ... same class where I made The Bartender.) Of course, this means packing a drill in my suitcase but, hey, if I can cart around rusty nails and a bowling pin, a drill should be no problem.

Maybe this year I'll actually make something for the Artfest gallery ...

The Wisdom of Cookies ...

YOU ARE ENTERPRISING - TAKE ADVANTAGE OF IT
PEKING NOODLE CO.

Good Weekend So Far ...

So continuing on my homework theme from last Tuesday's Ladies Who Launch session, nice thing for self Day 3, Friday Sept 14: bought myself a double-shot latte from Peet's on my way to work. Somehow things seem better when the day starts off with a good coffee. Plus, I bought tix to go to Opium Magazine’s Literary Death Match on Oct. 12 (part of Litquake) to hear Wesley Stace (aka John Wesley Harding) read.

Saturday was spent at an all-day meeting o' stampers (have been doing much more stamp craft lately as the energy and emotion level hasn't really lent itself to more artistic endeavors but more on that sometime else). Of course, this meant getting up at 6:30 am on a weekend which I do not put into the 'nice things for me' bucket but my friend drove and supplied me with a big cup o' from Peet's so that helped get things back on track.

On the way home, we stopped at Perry Farms at Ardenwood and I picked up some organic fruits & veggies including some "pop it on the cob" microwave popcorn. Of course, I had to hold up our departure for a moment or two to snap a few pictures.


Probably should have done a bunch of stuff when I got home but instead spent most of the evening sitting around playing Wii with my 3-year-old (almost 4) niece. So would have to say, homework for Day 4, Saturday Sept 15: Enjoyed some fresh air & sunshine while shopping at a super cool organic fruitstand (bought some small, goofy pumpkins and a new type o' melon) and ignoring grown-up chores to play Wii with the niece.

Today's Plan: Lend support to a friend checkin' out a house and spend time in the studio ...

Should be sleeping ...

A lil' sketch before bedtime last night ... part of the 'do something nice for me' motto for the week ...

So, stole a bit of creative time to sketch. Trying not to over think these sketches and just go with the messiness of it all.

On the list of 'nice things' homework today - a double latte from Peets this morning before work.

Homework ...

To make changes, you gotta do stuff ... action ... step one ... homework. Part of the homework from last night - do something nice for yourself every day this week. Well, admittedly, I don't feel I made much of a conscious effort today - have to avoid the blur of everyday life overshadowing my homework assignment. So - thinking 'YES' - positive things I did for me today:

• Left work at 5pm.


• Left the laptop at work.


• Ignored the list of things to do, planted myself on the couch, and watched a movie.

Hey - I'm starting small. Will see what else I come up with tomorrow.

Just Say ...

It's time. Time to get unstuck. Took a step in that direction today - attended week one of the local Ladies Who Launch incubator program. Let the ideas roll ...

Schmap It ...

Another one o' my photos was chosen for a Schmap - this time the Austin Schmap. The pic is from SXSW 2006, Billy Bragg & friends playing a Hootenanny at the Central Presbyterian Church.



Here's a lil' mini Schmaplet that includes my pic on the photos tab (I think it might be the only 'concert' photo in the churches section) ...

Down the Drain ...

I do believe the day job is sucking the creativity right out of me. Not much inspiration lately tho' I do have glimmers of random ideas every now and again. Time is short, attention span shorter.

Did snap a few pics while in Ashland over the weekend (still enjoying the new F1.4 30mm lens) ... thinking these could end up in a project someday ...



It was a nice stay ... but found the rut was still here when I returned home.

9 Plays, 5 Days ...

Call it a condensed vacation - roadtrip to another state, fancy food & drink, and 9 plays all in 5 days.

The mini-vacation started something like this ...



... my view from the back seat of the van.

The days in Ashland continued with:

Tracy's Tiger
The Tempest
As You Like It
Gem of the Ocean
Distracted
Romeo & Juliet
On the Razzle
Tartouffe
The Taming of the Shrew

My favorite play: Distracted