The other side of me

All month (what am I saying, all year!) I've been on this emotional roller coaster, alternating between joy and sorrow, grabbing happy and spilling tears, lots of them.

You, my bloggy pals, Cate, MadMonk, MadRetz, Ragged (oh and Anon, you know who you are
: .) always make me smile and laugh, a bright light in sometimes dark days.
Thanks so much for being present on the page and sharing this *space* with me!

I'm glad to be making a transition into the new year, I'm excited for what's in store.
I suspect that I will be faced with new and unique challenges in 2007 and all I can say is
GAME ON!!!

Happy New Year!!!

More, More, More

More scrapbook pages...

MadRetz gifted me with a cool book called 52 Scrapbooking Challenges. Challenge #1 is to use words - adjectives or a favorite quote - in a layout. The quote I choose is from the movie, "A Beautiful Mind"

*I need to believe that something extraordinary is possible.*

So appropriate considering the December I've been having.

The accordion book was assembled from a kit purchased at my (now defunct) favorite scrapbook store. Guess I'll have to plan the 2007 Disneyland trip so I can fill the pages!
Hee!!!

Yesterday's Art

Blogger is so not cooperating this morning. Is it because I need to switch to the newer "better" version? (Hear the sarcasm?)

This pix was from a magazine ad for flooring. I loved the image, but couldn't think of what to do with it, and it languished in my scrap folder for over a year now. MadRetz and I often talk about grace (physical and spiritual) and the piece was born : .)

MadRetz took these pixs during our first visit to Sharon Wheat's studio. A few minutes prior to these pictures, I was crazily snapping away with MadRetz's camera and afterwards, Sharon was teasing me about having an itchy trigger finger. I love those laugh out loud moments.

Obviously, its been awhile since I've drawn anything. My first piece drawn in the sketch book I received from my bloggy friend. I'm thinking this guy looks like a character from South Park, a scary South Park character. Can you guess who its supposed to be?

Oh, and I made this on Christmas day for my co-worker's little girl. I also bought yarn to do some felted bowls using instructions in One Skein. Turns out I need circular and double pointed knitting needles. Ragged, I am so gonna need help with the lingo..."CO45 sts?" "Working in the rnd?" "Dec as foll, changing to dpn when necessary?" Oh, and I also need to learn how to knit, since I only know one stitch. I wonder what it costs for a ticket to Raggedstown for lessons? (The lingo is actually not that cryptic..."cast on 45 stitches, working in the round, decrease as follows, changing to double pointed needles when necessary") hee!!!

Merry Christmas!!!

XOXO!!! : .)

Drawing Mid-Term & Final

One of my friends mentioned to me that they had checked my blog to see if I posted projects from my drawing class. I appreciated the reminder : .)

The mid-term project was to collage an emotion. If your guess is jubilant, then you're right!

To create the piece, I used two photos I took of my friend's daughter during the annual family X-mas card photo shoot, as well as some magazine photos. I drew the image in pencil and used water color paints and markers to color in the image.

The final project was to do a self-portrait and then create a mask that is our alternate personality, fantasy, other persona. The drawing above is the self-portrait from the first class meeting, below is the self-portrait for the final project. I used pencil here also. I think I've improved my technique, altho' my eyes are way bigger than I realized : .)


Girl G, my girlfriend that's a goalie, was the inspiration for my mask. Unafraid to face pucks flying at her at 70 miles per hour (well, if its Calvin shooting), she exhibits a bravery that I can only wish to have. The goalie mask offers protection, but also communicates an air of toughness. The mask was drawn and colored using sharpie markers.


I received a gift of a sketch book from my bloggy pal Willie, so I need to continue practicing and creating. Next class...Design. I'm excited!

More Drawings

3 more weeks left of drawing class. Working on the project for my final. Before that unveiling, I thot I'd show you a few class exercises and homework assignments.

Serengeti a la Van Gough. Class exercise in drawing with different marks.
(For Willie B./Drawn from a magazine picture.)

Veeger...Class exercise in shading. (Drawn from a photocopy of a photo.)

Yvonne...Class exercise on profile portraits. (Life drawing of my classmate.)

Turkey Induced Stupor

I'm home now, with a full stomach and leftovers galore.

Happily I note that all the important fud groups were represented at dinner...

The turkey group, of course,
The stuffing group,
The gravy group,
The mashed potato group.
The green bean casserole group with the crunchy fried onions,
The candied yam group,
The cranberry relish group,
The dinner roll group,
And last of all...The pumpkin cobbler group with homemade whipped cream.

Delicious!!!

Time to hit the sack!!! zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz.................................................

I hope your turkey day was swell as well!!!

This is actually a picture of my Christmas turkey. I forgot to take pictures tonight : .)

Weekend Art

Card for my craft club trade and a thank you for a bloggy buddy.

go ahead, be bold wid it

I recently did another detox, so that means that I didn't have carbs, refined sugar, or dairy for three weeks. Continuing along in the same vein, I've been avoiding all those same foods for the past two weeks, but lately, I've been salivating over the thought of a chai or green tea latte. Last night, I decided to have one as a treat. I did my grocery shopping at Safeway, went to the Starbucks inside. Loaded the groceries into the car and closed the trunk on 16 ounces of non-fat milk, matcha tea powder and melon syrup. I guess it was a sign. A sign of what, you ask? A sign that I'm still not supposed to have sugar or dairy. I was torn between going back to Starbucks after dinner or blowing it off completely.

I guess the good thing was the barista didn't put in enough or maybe any melon syrup, so the drink didn't taste very good.

After this morning's run, I decided to try again and went to Starbucks to get a hot drink. I'm happy/sad to say that I'm not enjoying it. I guess I've finally succeeded in breaking my sugar addiction. The cup is cool however. I love the holidays at Starbucks : .)

Mad - On the way from Rancho to Starbucks, I turned on the radio and thought, "Continuing on with the experiment, what will be playing on 99.7?" heeeeeeeee! SEXY BACK!!!! Okay, I admit, I'm diggin' the song too, but we both know that I've always loved club traxs.

Things That Go Bump in the Night!

Happy Halloween!!!

Everyday is Halloween - Ministry

well i live with snakes and lizards
and other things that go bump in the night
'cause to me everyday is halloween
i have given up hiding and started to fight
i have started to fight

well any time, any place, anywhere that i go
all the people seem to stop and stare
they say 'why are you dressed like it's halloween?
you look so absurd, you look so obscene'

o, why can't i live a life for me?
why should i take the abuse that's served?
why can't they see they're just like me
it's the same, it's the same in the whole wide world

well i let their teeny minds think
that they're dealing with someone who is over the brink
and i dress this way just to keep them at bay
'cause halloween is everyday
it's everyday

o, why can't i live a life for me?
why should i take the abuse that's served?
why can't they see they're just like me
it's the same, it's the same in the whole wide world

o, why can't i live a life for me?
why should i take the abuse that's served?
why can't they see they're just like me
i'm not the one that's so absurd

why hide it?
why fight it?
hurt feelings
best to stop feeling hurt
from denials, reprisals
it's the same it's the same in the whole wide world

Last night's still life. Still working on shadowing techniques. Teach has a goulish sense of humor. I like it!

Viola!!!

After all this time here is *real* evidence that I have been in drawing class since the end of September.

I was quite trepidatious about going to class this evening. Last Wednesday I had a really hard time. We were to draw a still life using scale and I.could.not.do.it!!! Maybe it was being constrained to drawing within a rectangle. Maybe it was the fact that I am not a very spatial person and cannot draw in 3 dimensions. (Forget kinesthetic abilities). I was absolutely unable to measure the scale of the still life set in front of me and transfer it to paper. I was so frustrated, I couldn't even get started and almost packed up my stuff and left, never to return to class again.

With a little encouragement from my friends and co-workers, I set off for class. Tonight we were to practice shading. First we worked with grey scale and practiced drawing a sphere. Then we each choose a drawing to copy.

Meet Xavier. He still needs a bit more work, but I'm pretty pleased with the outcome so far : .)

She runs.

There are voices in my head, with names like fear and doubt,

and they hide, mocking me.

But when the pounding of my heart becomes deafening,

They all just disappear.

- From a Nike Ad

I felt like getting out for a run this morning. My retirement didn't last very long : .) I set off for Rancho San Antonio Park, the home of my favorite Bay Area trail run by far.

I had forgotten how great it is to run solo. No worries about slowing anyone down, the ability to set your own pace and think your own thoughts. No schedule to meet, no need to maintain a breathless conversation while trying hard to keep up.

My warm-up typically takes about 4 miles, so I started out slow and just took it easy. The portion of the trail closest to the parking lot is quite populated even at this early hour, and I was hoping to leave the groups of chattering hikers behind as soon as possible.

The trail starts out pretty flat with some rolling hills, along the way, I passed a quail family that scattered like pachinko balls as I ran by, and three deer who were enjoying their breakfast. After a couple of miles, I started up the biggest hill, a one mile stretch with about a 1000 foot rise. In a few minutes, I came around a bend in the trail and could see the Silicon Valley spread out below me, NASA and the bay off to the northeast and downtown San Jose to the south. It didn't take me much longer to crest the hill and I took a quick break to catch my breath and drink some water. I was so very proud that I ran the entire way up the hill. I started back down the trail, the glorious downhill that leads to the valley. As I hit the cover of the trees, I heard a rustling in the leaves and stopped to listen...But all I could hear was silence. So amazing. Silence, loamy earth, and the scent of bay leaves.

Around another bend I saw a group of Asian ladies practicing meditation. I consider myself lucky to live in an area with such diversity. On the trail, I passed Japanese, Chinese, East Indian, Middle Eastern, European, and American hikers and runners, big and small, all ages.

I especially love trail running because you have to pay attention to your footing, the uneven surfaces force you to use your core to maintain your balance. Boy was I surprised when WHAM!!! Ow, ow, ow! I twisted my ankle. Within a few tentative steps, I decided I could finish my run, but I was worried about an injury since my runing buddies and I signed up to run the California International Marathon 4 person relay in December.

I think I'm okay : .)

Photo courtesy of MadRetz

I hate running.

This morning the city of San Jose hosted the Inaugural San Jose Rock & Roll 1/2 Marathon.

After running this and the two other 1/2 marathon's and finishing the triathlon since June, I am done, D.O.N.E. I'm hanging up my running shoes.

My body is tired, I'm chaffed in places I won't discuss here, I got charlie horses in both my calves and my shins (a first!), and my kidney's hurt. It was a hard race for me. (Weird that I finished this race faster than Disneyland. I even had to walk a bit of it.)

It was exciting however, when this guy passed me at my 5 mile marker, his 12. His stride was as wide as he was tall, he was so fast and graceful!!! If you look closely at this picture, you'll notice that neither of his feet are touching the ground. He was literally FLYING!!!

Okay, I'll be realistic. I'm just going to take some time off. I'm way too addicted to the endorphins to actually quit running.

See you on the trail!

Photos courtesy of race photographer and #1 cheerleader MadRetz

Scout's Honor!

I am so gonna post some of my work from drawing class, I just need to make time to scan/photograph my pages. Teach still has the self portraits, so as soon as she gets those back to us, I'll post that too!!!

We did studies of plastic animals of our choosing on Monday. We had to draw the animal in 4 different positions and then anthropomorphize it and put it in some environment. That was fun and I was pleased with the outcome. I have to say, for all my classmates who said on the first day of class that they can't draw, "TAKE IT BACK!" They're all doing so well! So much creativity and so many clean lines!

Anyway, more on that later, I just wanted to post an update since I don't have anything else going on at the moment and I'm so digging art class!

Back to School!!!

"Don't you love New York in the fall? It makes me wanna buy school supplies. I would send you a bouquet of newly sharpened pencils if I knew your name and address."

- Tom Hanks as Joe Fox in You've Got Mail

Drawing class started last nite! I am very excited!!! You so gotta love a class that "requires" you to buy art supplies!!! Here's the art kit.

Tonite's homework is to draw a self-portrait, life sized, from the neck up. This should be interesting. I am already challenged : .)

Celadon

Its been almost a year since my witch doctor made me give up my morning lattes. As I so love to support the corporate giants and I was worried about putting Starbucks out of business if I stopped purchasing coffee from their stores, I switched over to their green tea lattes. Make that a grande, non-fat green tea latte, extra hot.

I've never really removed the cup lid and looked at the drink. It is quite an "interesting" color. A murky green. However, in order to make it more appetizing to myself, I decided to call the color "celadon." Doesn't that have a much nicer ring to it?

Sooo, what's your favorite Starbucks beverage???

The Happiest Race on Eee-arth!!!

I DID IT!!!

Disneyland's Inaugural 1/2 Marthon,
September 17, 2006

What a morning! Up at the crack of dawn (that would be 4 am) to dress and eat! Then off to to wait anxiously with 11,999 other runners for the start of the race. 13.1 miles through Disneyland, Disney's California Adventure, commercial Anaheim, past the Duck Pond (Home of the Anaheim Ducks Hockey team! HOCKEY!), across home plate in Angels Stadium, through Downtown Disney and cheering crowds to the FINISH LINE!!!

This event had everything you could ask for ... beautiful southern California weather, a pleathora of portapotties, : .) people in costume, real-time support consisting of Disney characters Micky & Minnie, Pluto, Goofy, Buzz Lightyear, Lilo & Stitch, Alice in Wonderland and her cohorts, Daisy & Donald Duck, Jessie, Sully and best of all Jack Sparrow of Pirates of the Caribbean fame! (A dead-on Johnny Depp look alike! I was in LOVE! I high fived him and yelled back to the crowd of runners, "Did anyone get a picture of that?!" Got some giggles!!! hee!!!) Along the course, hula dancers, a serenade by mini mariachis, cheerleaders, and multiple high school bands!

Race swag! (This is a Champion tech fabric shirt!!! Got some Arm & Hammer toothpaste too ... Huh? Bright smile at the finish line???)

A closer look at the medal!!! (Yes, it is gi-normal and heavy!!!)

Darn, its *not* gold!!!

I shared the adventure with my friend Donna and of course, MadRetz who played race photographer for the day. (You must check out the details of her race which we ran the previous day!)

Post-race activities included time in the parks, partaking of fun rides, shopping and re-fueling with a hot dog, french fries and a Dr. Pepper. Donna and I were tired, but happy, happy RnrGrrls!!!

Solano Stroll

Sistor plays taiko drums and performed with her troupe at the Solano Stroll this past weekend. My friend Als and I drove to Berkeley to watch and enjoy the events of the day. There was sunshine, politics, environmentalism (we were in Berkeley after all), belly dancers, musicians, a parade, arts & crafts, and a lot of people.

This fun guy was kind enough to pose for me! Doncha just love pink?! : .)

I got a henna tattoo. Isn't it cool? The artist had a tube of the henna paste and whipped out the design freehand. It was so amazing! The before is the paste drying. After it dries, the artist sprays the art with a sugar/lemon/H2O mixture. I guess to set the ink. You peel the paste off and viola! body art!!! The design lasts 2 weeks or so. Makes me want to get a real tattoo!

Not sure about my bloggy reticence lately. I need to blog my trip to Mexico City. It'll have to wait 'til after the weekend, MadRetz and I are off to Disneyland for our Run Disney weekend! Yahoo!!!

RnrGrrl!!!

For the women who challenge me and call me artist. My literal translation of Illustration Friday's theme RUN. Thanks bunches, Grrlfiends!!!

Big wet smooooooches!!!

Collage done with various scrapbook paper scraps. Inspiration provided by the art and poetry of the MadMonk.

Submitted to Illustration Friday - Theme: Run

Googly Ghoul!!!

It was a dark and stormy night; the rain fell in torrents--except at occasional intervals, when it was checked by a violent gust of wind which swept up the streets (for it is in London that our scene lies), rattling along the housetops, and fiercely agitating the scanty flame of the lamps that struggled against the darkness.

--Edward George Bulwer-Lytton, Paul Clifford (1830)

Okay, I couldn't resist! Let's try that again...

Say it, Evinrude, Evinrude, Evinrude! Ahhhhh, he comes to life from the depths of a darkened basement in somewhere Kentucky. Preceeded by a dank and moldy smell, peeeyooo!!! A dry rattle announces: He has arrived!!! Give him a minute to focus his googly eyes and then ...

WATCH OUT!!!

His eerie voice echos "I vant to suck your blahd!!!"

Obviously, I've had way too much sugar tonite!

Cate, Cate, Cate ... I LOVE HIM!!!

He's sitting on a shelf where I can see him every day!!!

Thanks so much!!!

Spreading Bloggy Happiness!

Some art for my bloggy pal, Cate. We're both big Tim Burton fans, and with that, the Jack & Sally Box o' Love was born.

I wasn't finished yet ... Midsummer Night's Aubergine Dream came next. Since I couldn't decide which one I liked best to send to Cate, she got both!

I just love sharing my art!

SWIM! BIKE! RUN!

Today was the day! I completed my first triathlon!!! I was halfway through the run when I realized, "Ohmygawd, I am on the third leg of my first triathlon!" I gave myself a mental high five! : .) Yahoo!!!

Pictures courtesy of my friend Jack, who was kind enough to meet me at 6 am to support me during my race! Thanks, Jack!!!


Setting up my gear in the transition area. You need a lot of gear for a triathlon...bike, helmet, gloves, sunglasses, water bottles, fuel, various articles of clothing, swim goggles, swim cap, towels, shoes, socks, singlet, safety pins, a bucket to rinse your feet in after your swim. They mark your race number on your leg and your arm. In permanent ink. Yeah. I guess that proves I did the race! : .) And yes, it was still dark when I got to the park.

My friend Jennifer and I, pre-race. No, we didn't discuss racewear. All the hot tri-studettes wear lime green sports tops and black shorts : .)

Getting ready to start the 400 yard swim. You can see me just past the woman with the orange swim cap and white shirt, just to the right of center. The pictures of me coming out of the water weren't pretty. Think "Creature from the Black Lagoon."

T1 - In the transisiton area again getting ready for the bike portion of the race. 11 miles. Low tire pressure. Good thing I've been going to those spinning classes where I use a lot of resistance. I'm not the one in the orange vest, nor the bathing suit.


Coming into the finish! IamgoingsofastthatIamjustabbbbbllllllllllluuuuuuurrrrrrrr, wheeee!

Total race time: 1 hour 36 minutes 50 seconds. Just a minute off of my anticipated completion time! Got a cool long sleeved t-shirt and a bellybutton full of lake grass : .) Yay, me!!!

Ya gotta love this face!!!

Me & my friend CeCe! Isn't she a doll?!

We had fun interpreting art at a show this weekend! CeCe is very detail oriented and curious. She has a way of seeing things that others don't. She made me really appreciate the work we saw more than I ever have at this show in the past : .)