I don't tend to go in for love songs in a big way, but once in a while something catches my ear and won't let go. I recently got Over the Rhine's latest album, The Long Surrender, and have listened to little else all week (well, with the exception of a little side flirtation with some Arabic dance music). Their impeccable musicianship and deep moody sweet poetry knock my socks off.
Tuesday, September 27, 2011
Tuesday, September 20, 2011
2012
Time for a shameless self-promotional commercial plug! My 2012 calendars are done, and will be available very, very soon at markets and on websites near you. There will be two sizes: a small version for the desktop calendar that fits in a cd case stand...
I used pages from my travel sketchbooks, so there are pencil and pen and watercolor sketches from the Adirondacks, Thailand, Yosemite, Japan, Hawaii, the Pacific Northwest, etc, even a page with fall colors from right around here in upstate NY. It was pretty fun to put them together, especially because each page is different, and am looking forward to seeing people's reactions.
Having the calendar done is a huge load off my plate. As I always say, we're entering the season where I lose all touch with reality in the quest for commercial viability, also known as The Christmas Season. Or, in pop culture parlance: "Time to make the donuts."
...and a larger version that can hang on the wall and has space for writing.
Having the calendar done is a huge load off my plate. As I always say, we're entering the season where I lose all touch with reality in the quest for commercial viability, also known as The Christmas Season. Or, in pop culture parlance: "Time to make the donuts."
Friday, September 16, 2011
Get this in your head
Every now and then I indulge in some good British tv, a favorite being the Jeeves and Wooster series. Brilliant adaptation of the P.G. Wodehouse novels, with Stephen Fry and Hugh Laurie (yes, the guy who plays House, but in a COMPLETELY different role). I love the opening titles for the 1920's style graphics and the theme song. You'll be singing it all day.
Sunday, September 11, 2011
The clear blue sky
Ten years ago, I was driving across town on an absolutely gorgeous clear September morning. I had left pretty early to get to my graphic design job, I knew there was a lot of work to do on this catalog I was designing. I had NPR on in the car, and news was really boring, to the point that I was literally thinking that they were really looking for material to fill out the hour of Morning Edition. A little later, after all hell broke loose, the catalog didn't seem to matter so much. I took a walk in the sunshine, thinking that you never know what's going to come out the clear blue sky.
Every generation has a few defining events, those things we can all say we remember where we were when we heard it. My mom talks about vacuuming when she heard about JFK, I'm sure I won't forget where I was when I heard about the planes.
Every generation has a few defining events, those things we can all say we remember where we were when we heard it. My mom talks about vacuuming when she heard about JFK, I'm sure I won't forget where I was when I heard about the planes.
Wednesday, September 7, 2011
Something blue
Tuesday, September 6, 2011
The weird wide web
You never know what you'll find in the weird wide web these days. I was just trolling around in my Wingtip Etsy stats this morning, to see how people are finding my site and all that good stuff, and I found a link to my shop in someone else's blog. This person was writing restaurant reviews, and apparently I waited on their table...heehee, this makes my day! I will continue to build the spiderweb by linking back to their blog. Plus you can read about the food and drink at my working-for-travel-funds job.
Speaking of my pub job, it's going well. I've stopped having stressful waitressing nightmares, and am settling in to rather enjoying the change of pace a few nights per week. I like being friendly to people and being a little anonymous and getting my tables to laugh. I appreciate the exercise it gives my short-term memory and the zen-like focus of being 100% in the moment. And I love going home and not having to think one little bit about the job until next time I go in...when I am once again 100% there. Remember folks, tip your servers generously!
Otherwise, it's early September and the skies are already grey. Yesterday (Labor Day) was a much-needed rest from my labors...I took the time to cook a lot (GF blueberry muffins, red pepper chipotle hummus, and potato-leek soup), finish a book, overdose on the mind candy of some Jeeves and Wooster episodes, slouch around in pj's, and listen to the big rain and be thankful I didn't have to go outside in it. Today I am beginning to think about the approaching Christmas season, will be mucking about with some website content, and planning the paintings for my 2012 calendar.
Speaking of my pub job, it's going well. I've stopped having stressful waitressing nightmares, and am settling in to rather enjoying the change of pace a few nights per week. I like being friendly to people and being a little anonymous and getting my tables to laugh. I appreciate the exercise it gives my short-term memory and the zen-like focus of being 100% in the moment. And I love going home and not having to think one little bit about the job until next time I go in...when I am once again 100% there. Remember folks, tip your servers generously!
Otherwise, it's early September and the skies are already grey. Yesterday (Labor Day) was a much-needed rest from my labors...I took the time to cook a lot (GF blueberry muffins, red pepper chipotle hummus, and potato-leek soup), finish a book, overdose on the mind candy of some Jeeves and Wooster episodes, slouch around in pj's, and listen to the big rain and be thankful I didn't have to go outside in it. Today I am beginning to think about the approaching Christmas season, will be mucking about with some website content, and planning the paintings for my 2012 calendar.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)