Elsie Challenges and More Self Portrait Layouts

I spent yesterday creating. Yay!!! That makes me so happy!

Today, I ran 8 miles and my right leg is killing me. I guess I need to go to the cracker (chiropractor). Pass the Tylenol!!!

As a treat after running, I bought myself a chai latte frappuccino from my favorite corporate giant, Starbucks. Calorically dense, but ohsotasty, YUM!!!

My friend got us tickets for the Sharks game this evening. Added bonus, we get a tour of the Shark Tank. I hope I get to see some hockey players up close and personal, but I'm guessing we just get to see the inner workings of the arena. One can dream about meeting Scott Hannan, right???!!!

See below for art!


I love my KittyVille Hat!
(Elsie Challenge #6, Ribbon Cluster)

Some of my kid friends. Madeline noticed that in most of the photos we take together, I'm to her right...Looks like its true here too! : .)
(Elsie Challenge #8, Group 4 Photos)

Thoughts on risk from the Artist's Way, Week Seven.
The background took me 4 hours to complete. Process, I was so involved in the process, that I didn't notice the time flying. I wasn't happy with it, so I kept layering and layering acrylic paint, then I découpaged and stamped. Click on the photo to see more detail.

I know, I know...

I've been a bit lax in my blog updating.

(My good friend Estor at her desk...Her phone takes cool photos!!!)

Its either laziness or maybe banality, or prosaicness, busy-ness, too much sugar, yada, yada, yada...I haven't felt like I had anything to say that would interest anyone.

Anyway, in the past month and a half, I find after making a list, I have been doing mucho!

• Went to Mary's to craft, made the coolest necklace! (See similar bracelet here.)
  
• Been doin' some scrapbooking.
  
• Had a mamogram, my 2nd! Sorry, no photos. Squashed boobies are not my idea of interesting photography, even if my doctor likes 'em! The photos, not the boobies, altho' maybe...Lets not go there, ewwwww!!!
  
• Went to Tahoe and ran in snow and listened to the ice on Lake Donner cracking!
• Watched a Sharks game.
• Sold my engagement ring. (Yes, I've had it all this time, 7 years to be exact. Albatross, GONE!!!)
  
• Visited the Hideaway with MadRetz (Donated the wedding dress. Yes, I've had it all this time. Another albatross, GONE!!! I AM SO FREE!!! WHEEEEEEEE!!!)
  
• Indoor rock climbing.
• Communed with the fishies, invertebrates, and marine mammals at the Monterey Bay Aquarium.
• Saw Catch & Release.
• Went to Southern California to visit my Dad.
• Went to the world famous San Diego Zoo and saw PANDAS!
  
• Had dinner with my blonde haired, bleu-eyed cousin, whom I hadn't seen in a year.
• Celebrated my 43rd b-day with my bestest grilfiends (I LOVE the journal Ragged! Thanks! Photos of all my booty, soon!)
• Saw El Labrinto del Fauno (Pan's Labyrinth), deeply disturbing and moving.
  
• Oh, and work and design class and running, and eating way too much, of course!

Fast forward to next weekend...MadRetz, another friend, and I are off to Disneyland to continue the birthday celebration. Are we excited!!! Its "A Year of a Million Memories!" Hummm, I'm very curious how they spin the marketing for that theme! Along with riding the usual favorites, Tower of Terror, Space Mountain, Its a Small World (Itsasmallworldafterall, itsasmallworldafterall, itsasmallworldafterall, itsasmall,smallworld!) we'll be able to see 2 new shows, Jedi Training and the High School Musical. (If you haven't seen this movie on the Disney Channel, I highly recommend it! Kids love it!!! It has all the good things, a lovely story, singing, dancing, and beautiful actors.)

Oh, and another major development, I signed up for DisneyWorld Marathon 2008, so MadRetz and I are off to Florida in January, we can't wait!!!

Other than the above...I've been lurking on your blogs, causing a permanent dent in my sofa, and trying to break a world record of the most weight gained in a 6 month period. Gotta figure that one out! I hope you are all well!!!

Belay on!

I went indoor rock climbing with Bill and Julie yesterday. In all fairness, I had to take a belay (to belay is to control the the rope fed out to the climber) lesson first, so it wasn't all about me climbing, but also supporting fellow climbers. In the lesson, I learned about harnessing, how to tie climbing knots, how to work the grigri (A grigri is a hand-sized belay device designed to help secure rock-climbing. Also a talisman that protects the wearer from evil or brings good luck. Appropriate, don't you think?!), and how to stop a climber from falling too quickly.

This is Bill belaying Julie.

Julie climbing. Yes, this climb is as high as it looks. One of the highest in the rock climbing gym. If Wikipedia is correct, there is a grading system to rank the difficulty of the climb. This one is a 5.7. "Class 5 is considered true rock climbing, predominantly on vertical or near vertical rock, and requires skill and a rope to proceed safely. Un-roped falls would result in severe injury or death." Probably not in the gym tho', there's a lot of padding under the floor. Plus, there is always someone belaying you.


I attempted the same 5.7 at the end of the day. My arms were really tired and sore after the belay class and trying easier climbs. I could only make it about 2/3rds of the way up, arms screaming in pain, but mostly paralyzed by fear. Bill sez that rock climbing is a confidence builder. Yeah.

Really, I wasn't rocketing uncontrollably to the floor, really I wasn't! This expression is all for effect. Besides, Julie was belaying me, so everything was copasetic : .)

A Rhetorical Question

So annoying little moments...you know the ones, those where you get stuck with a service charge for your parking decal because you had to add a class after the registration period, the salad that caused your stomach to be distressed after lunch, the website that crashes (twice) while you are trying to get hotel reservations for Disneyland, as well as no confirmation of the reservation so you have to call to confirm, the cost for class supplies and registration (being forced to buy 100 sheets of construction paper instead of the 50 you need and the health service fee paid for the health service you won't use), the pie crust that isn't flaky because you had to put it in the fridge last night, the glass of wine that is just a little bit "off" because its probably been sitting around too long...are all to balance out the fact that your life really is great and these are minor speed bumps in your otherwise perfect existence, right?

Oh How I LOVE Starbucks!

I managed to sleep in until 9:14 this morning!!! Making up for those late nights last week.

Made a jaunt over to Starbucks to have a chai tea latte, grande, non-fat, xtra hot, please, and work on the reading and exercises in the Artist's Way. Week three has touched on one of my favorite subjects, synchronicity. Jung's loose definition of synchronicity is "a fortuitous intermeshing of events." I equate synchronicity to asking and receiving. I think we often don't recognize the magical occurrence of synchronicity in our lives, we don't notice that some thoughts and events are interrelated. You're thinking of a friend you haven't seen in awhile and a couple of days later, the phone rings and its that very same person! You want to visit the Grand Canyon and you receive a email about a fund raising organization who sponsors hiking events there, combining your love for the outdoors with your zeal for community service. What delight we find in paying attention!

Afterwards, I went to Andy's Pet Store, which has stood on the very same corner for the past 56 years. I've lived in the Silicon Valley for almost 17 years and have never been there, so I thot I'd go in for a peek. I met a lovely Macaw named Ruby who greeted me with a clear "Hello" and admired the paw size of a beautiful Akita who was just 9 weeks old.

Arrived home, cooked lunch and completed scrapbooking challenge #2. I'd share it, but its a bit personal and embarrassing. Its about my crush on my favorite Sharks hockey player.

Right now I'm chilling some dough for my first experiment in making pie crust from scratch. I'll let you know how it turns out.

I hope you had a good weekend!!! I know I did!!! : .)

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!!!