Don't throw tomatoes

I have a fabulous group of artist friends. And today I was able to drop in on their class and spend some time with them. This is the group that got me started in art and has kept me going with my art. I love them dearly. They are a talented and encouraging bunch led by the totally gifted Karen Cain-Smith.

So today, one of the amazing artists was setting up a still life but didn't quite have the color that she wanted in the apples she'd brought along. We tossed around some ideas and in the end she put a trail of tiny tomatoes from the snack table on the window sill. Aren't they phenomenal? When Amazing Woman finishes the piece I'll ask to post her finished artwork here with her perspective but I like this shot too. And I'm extra "invested" in it because these were the last tomatoes from my garden this year.

Now I'll be able to enjoy them all winter, too.

A spin on things

This is another email forwarded to me but it's totally cool so I'm going to see if I can get it working here on the blog. Is she turning?



Ackk!

She's not turning!

Okay, I don't have a clue why - SuperGeek is away and I can't figure it out - but you can check her out here instead.

The theory is, if you see this lady turning clockwise you are using your right brain. If you see it the other way (counterclockwise), you are using your left brain. If she's not turning at all, its because you're looking at my blog.

Some people do see both ways, but most people see it only one way. For me, she flip flops back and forth. She does for my DH too, but at different times. How cool is that?


Left Brain

Logical
Sequential
Rational
Analytical
Objective
Looks at parts

Right Brain

Random
Intuitive
Holistic
Synthesizing
Looks at wholes

"Most individuals have a distinct preference for one of
these styles of thinking. Some, however, are more
whole-brained and equally adept at both modes.
In general, schools tend to favor left-brain modes of
thinking, while downplaying the right-brain activities.
Left-brain scholastic subjects focus on logical thinking,
analysis, and accuracy. Right-brained subjects, on the
other hand, focus on aesthetics, feeling, and creativity."


Or maybe we just like to keep people guessing...

Starting the day off right...or not

Last night, I went to bed on time - a feat for me - and didn't set the alarm clock. I was sure I'd wake up in time to get ready for church OR I'd hear the young 'uns moving around the house in time OR - if none of those happened - I'd have had a REALLY great sleep.

But at some still-dark point, a ringing phone snapped me off my pillow. I peered at the clock by the bed.

6:00 am

As I reach for the phone, the usual range of thoughts ran through my mind:

a) It's bad news - Grandma did take a fall a few days ago and I haven't had an update lately.
b) There are other people I know that might be calling with bad news.
c) DH forgot about the time zone thing and is calling me to tell me some bad news before the first seminar starts. (He's a couple time zones away right now at a conference with a goofy name.)
d) Nope, he'd never make a mistake like that. It must be bad news and how will I let him know?

"Hello?" Well, at least I sound fairly conscious. I think.

"Hi, this is Jason. Who's this?"

Check the clock again. Still 6:00 am. I'm not telling anyone my name at 6 am.

"Um." (Perhaps not as conscious as I thought.) "Um, Jason who?"

"Is this joyful living?"

Great. Now he's not even talking English.

"I beg your pardon?" (Slightly better than "Huh?")

"Isn't this Joyful Living?"

Not at this time of day its not.

"No, I'm sorry it's not."

"Oh. Sorry to have woken you up then."

He doesn't sound sorry to me. But it's too late now anyways.

"Okay."

"Bye." Click.

6:01 am.

I guess my day just started...

It's finally fall...

Hats off to...

A friend emailed this to me. Tragic but true...

Bear Attack in Churchill, Manitoba, Canada.

These are pictures of an actual polar bear attack in Churchill.

These pictures were taken while people watched and could do nothing to stop the attack!

Reports from the local newspaper say that the victim will make a full recovery.

The photos are below.

WARNING: ACTUAL PHOTOS OF BEAR ATTACK!

Today, it's Hats Off to friends that forward FUNNY! (Only when its really funny though.)

No More Dead Dogs

Relax, it's a book title.

One of my bookworms brought home a book that made me wonder if I needed to start monitoring the reading lists a little more closely. The cover alone was enough to raise an eyebrow and the synopsis I was given was "like, there's this guy that always tells the truth but it gets him in trouble so he hangs out with the drama club and changes everything. And the teacher writes memos."

Isn't that enough to pique your curiosity?

So I was up way to late last night reading "No More Dead Dogs" by Gordon Korman. I didn't mean to - it was late and I needed sleep and I thought "I'll just glance through it."

Famous last words.

"I knew Old Shep was going to die before I started page one," I said.

"Don't be ridiculous," snapped Mr. Fogelman. "How?"

I shrugged. "Because the dog always dies. Go to the library and pick out a book with an award sticker and a dog on the cover. Trust me, that dog is going down."

What a great read! It was completely worth the dark circles under the eyes this morning. I'm only surprised that there's no award sticker on the front of this book (SPOILER ALERT!) 'cause the dog doesn't make it...but you'll have to read it to figure out why that's okay. It's actually even quite funny.


(You can click on the cover to see more reviews, etc at Amazon if you're curious now too.)

Christmas?!!?

First let me say there's a potty-mouth warning today. I don't use profanity (unless Mom was right about that whole tone-of-voice/intention thing) but sometimes someone else has said it too well. And this one hit the nail on the head. Thanks, Rick, for sharing.

As I mentioned earlier, I am involved in a Christmas musical and mostly have kept it to background matters - literally and figuratively. I agreed to paint sets and was doing the photos for the poster and am in the choir. So far so good. Besides, I'm assembling a fine art exhibit that will be happening next month (stay tuned) and have a three-week art residency starting in a couple weeks at an area school.

But then a couple key people had to back out or cut back and it just happens to be in areas that I have a great deal of experience.

Nuts.

I'm happy to help but this week it's started to feel like a race to see whether the director or I end up developing a nervous tic first. Dickens in detox, that's us.

Does anyone else have this reaction to Christmas?