Tomorrow is the day

I purchased the canvas panels for my 31 day project this past weekend at Memphis Art Center.  I posted yesterday that I am open to suggestions for a title of this project.  (and still....I am open for suggestions...to quote Carrie "I got nuthin") None the less. Tomorrow the project begins.  I am committed to a couple of things....1. Doing this EVERY day. Even if I don't complete a piece before work each morning, and I realize this might just happen-depending on how early I get up (and on another note. At 5:00 this morning the rain was pounding the tin roof on our house in gushes-my head wanted to get up and start the day..but my heart-my heart wanted to time the gushes-my heart wanted to listen and find a pattern to the tap-scratch-SCRATCH---of that tree limb on the bedroom window- "My heart........yawwwwnn...wa-anntted.....to...ummm...enjoy...the perfect ambient air temperature of our bedroom...I.....should...get...up.....yyaaawwwnnn....." I will get up...as soon as this pattern changes...as ....as soon as the rain....zzzzzzzz HOLY CRAP!!! It's 7:00!!!!! I'm awake! I'm awake!!!!" My heart won out and I did NOT get up as planned...so...let's hope for no rain in the morning) As I was saying depending on how early I get started in the mornings I may or may not complete a painting each day. But I WILL paint each day.
2. and I am struggling with this one..... I am TRYING to let my mind just decide what to paint at the time I start painting. So if you have asked for a specific date- I will try to explain better.  You are requesting the DATE for a sentimental reason- I may or may not be able to paint something specific as it pertains to your loved one on THAT date.  So...I will give you an out- If you do not want the painting from the date you requested you are under no obligation to purchase it.  NO hard feelings and NO pressure.  There! I feel better! 
3. I am charging $10.00 per painting
4. Here are the dates already requested.
3rd-Penny, 7th-Lisa, 14th and 17th-Shaundra, 18th Michelle, 25th Lacey Howe
5. In an effort to let go of my artistic ramblings, trying not to "save" anything up for March-I had to get a few things "out" over the weekend. One thing was this pig-peering over a short stack of pan cakes. The other was a pack of crayons-the third was a family of birds-there was an owl couple on a branch and a country church...I make a confession...Sketching these things DID NOT cure my desire to paint them in March. I am pretty sure I will fail at the whole-letting my mind just decide at the moment exercise...but I am committed to the effort.

Every Day Art

If you are a follower of my blog  you know I am a fan of Madison Latimer. Hence forth called "The Chicken Lady" She is the painter of the chicken I fell in love with in Memphis three years ago and in her honor I painted Poxy. So....in October, like a  pre-pubescent adoring fan of Ringo Star I stood all dorky and googlie eyed as I approached her display area (inside the former location of - muse downtown Memphis,TN)  I was quite intimidated actually to meet her face to face.  But....My desire to express my appreciation for her work over-came my wall-flower tendency and I introduced myself.  She and I talked for a considerable amount of time- she answered questions I had-she was funny and quick and oh so artsy-I mean her very appearance was "art girl chic" But not in that "notice me! notice me! I wear my paint clothes out in public so people will know I paint!" sort of way.  I mean she has style. She is sure of herself. I admire that.  I told her I fell in love with her paintings at the River Arts Fest  three years prior.  And then....I did the unthinkable...I showed her my "poxy"



"Poxy" hangs in my kitchen against a splendidly happy blue wall.

I explained I  did this as a tribute to her amazing chickens and hoped  she would neither laugh at me or become angry ...I just stood there and  she paid me much respect.  Whew! Now, checking the list--- Introduced myself to one of my "art heroes" check! Got up the nerve to tell her I copied her work b/c I couldn't afford any of her work and I could not stop thinking about her work..Check check check!  Okay-cool...move on, meet The Hopkins, have dinner...errrrrrkkkkk!!!!! wait!!!  She had more to say than "thanks I am flattered"  okay...ummmm..Im listening...."Do you call yourself an artist?" Me: "ahhh errr ummmm well....ummm no not really....no...I just like art-and I enjoy painting..." (Really-must you qualify EVERYTHING? Amber?Currently-that's a Yes.) Chicken Lady "well...from now on you should. You should call yourself an artist. You are an artist. How do you expect people to view you as an artist if YOU don't view yourself as one? I used to think b/c I didn't paint full time for a living I couldn't call myself an artist....but I was....I was learning to be better at art while doing other jobs but inside I was and always have been an artist.. so...1. Call yourself an artist. You are one."  Okay....And..now let's move on- meet friends- have dinner....after all- Chicken Lady called me an artist-can't really go anywhere but down from here right? RIGHT. Chicken Lady "And Secondly.....Paint your own work." GULP.  OUCH! and YIKES! and for good measure- I'm Sorry?  "I am flattered you painted Poxy. I like her" she said "but you need to figure out what moves you-(as an artist.) (I am one now-apparently) and paint it. It's fine to be inspired by other work. But you will not move forward with your art until you make it YOURS."  Still stinging from the "paint your own work" advise yet understanding she is completely right and just relieved she didn't take that opportunity to shout at me-I made eye contact with a very amused TK-signaling for sure it was time to leave. "Thanks so much" I humbly muttered shifting weight looking at the time on my cell phone (Yea, I do that, I am not proud of it, but I do. As if by some cosmic miracle my discomfort has summoned an urgent text from a friend-or if the timing is just right, scored me a pretend phone call I must take-thus allowing me to make an excusable exit... Oh COME ON! I am not the only one! Don't judge me! I know you either have done this or you will now that I gave you the idea...You're welcome!) and then amidst my urge to walk away (I was starting to feel challenged (but not the kind of challenged I can't handle-the kind of challenge I know I CAN handle but might not like-but will have to accept and conquere even tho it's going to be a lot more work than I really want to do-(I am a slacker by nature really I just fight it) I was feeling uneasy just like ohhh this is like school....ohhh mannn....the teacher wants me to apply myself...I'm smarter than this-I must work harder than this-how can I take this ability for granted? People work twice as hard and never acomplish what I slack and get by with.... school...I hate school-totally should have faked sick today...school)  "Lastly" she said snapping me out of my 8th grade geometry flashback...."Paint! Every day. Make time for it. Go to work. See your friends. Spend time with your husband. but also Paint. Every. Day."   Humbled and excited about meeting those Hopkins for dinner (priorities you see)  I thanked my new The Chicken Lady for the insight and asked for a photo before we left,  which she obliged. 



Me and The Chicken Lady. It was a very good day!



Since that meeting, we have become "social network "Friends"" I kind of keep up with The Chicken Lady and her Chicken Truck and I think about the advise I was given the day we met. Well folks. I may not be ready to call myself an "artist" yet (small steps people small steps) but I am ready to start painting every day. Since I do better when I have a game plan, coming up with a game plan is my current project.  I know what must be going thru your minds "seriously, you have been "thinking" about this? Since October? And now you are working on a game plan?" Correct, correct and Correct.  I am big on keeping commitments and I just had too many irons in the fire to commit to painting every day until now. So..now that it is a new year and after this weekend-my cupcake obligations will be minimal-I am ready to make a commitment.  An Art Pledge if you will.  Starting March 1st. I will paint every morning before work.  I am going to create a series of small works. Theoretically 31 to be exact. My plan is this- I will paint one small (size to be announced) canvas each morning. Take a photo. Upload the photo with or without explanation and offer it for sale.  Proceeds to benefit my orphans in Kenya (like you didn't see that coming). 

Me and Kelvin, the one I call "mine" He keeps me awake at night from the other side of the globe.



I will also take specific "orders" for specific dates or occasions in the month of March. Say for example you would like to purchase "March 10th" because that's the day you learned to crochet and you just feel so darn good about the life changing experience you would like a painting to commemorate it-That's great! I'll do it! Just so you know-I have no specific theme in mind and the paintings will be as random as my whims. This way there is no pressure on me, (The Artist. echh hmmm...well I typed it, that's sort of like saying it. Right?)  Okay...There you go. I have said it. In Blog. That's like putting a task on "the list" but way more public.  Look forward to seeing you in March. 



The Art of Honesty

I reply to lengthy email questionnaires, sign up for junk at super-market sample stations, mail in box tops or cool-aid packets, donate blood AND run (okay mostly walk now) 5K races all for T-shirts.  Given my weakness for them-I was thrilled to know the good people at Karatedepot.com sent me an email saying I could have a FREE T-SHIRT if I posted a link to their online store in my blog.   OF COURSE I WILL DO IT----A FREE T-SHIRT IS UP FOR GRABS! Honestly, this "Martial Art" post is long over due.  I have internally wrestled with this for going on 6 years next month.  In December of 2004 while unloading cakes and pies of all things, from my car, a stranger (Hence forth known as Crack Head) crossed the street in front of my home, ran down the drive leading to my car where myself and two friends were unloading goods for a CHRISTMAS PARTY... put a 9 millimeter in my neck. He said one thing over and over "Give me your purse! Give me your purse! Give me your purse!"  Thinks are still a little blurry but I think he wanted my purse. No one was injured. The ordeal lasted less 3 minutes I think.  I don't know. I gave him my organizer containing check book, multiple credit cards and $78.00 cash.  He took the money and ran like the ski mask wearing, jobless- coward he is.  For the next few weeks-people would ask me about it-I would tell and re-tell the story always adding a couple of key pieces of information.  1. I am just thankful my friends are okay. 2.I am thankful no one was hurt.  I would verbally reassure people that I knew this would eventually help me help someone. Some good would eventually come from this experience.   Okay so that's me, trying to say the right thing-wanting to believe the right thing. I wasn't lying to people-I was trying to help them be okay with what  happened-so that I could be okay with what happened.  Six years later and having gone through a lot of "learning experiences" that are still on the "this will eventually help someone and good will eventually come from this" shelf, and having the complete freedom to be honest here on my very own blog-I will tell you this- 1. Although I WAS thankful my friends were okay and I WAS happy no one was hurt, I DID NOT see how anything good could come from this experience.  Nor did I wish to be the one who "got the chance to use this experience to help someone".  I would never have wished this on anyone-no matter what lesson could be learned.  I certainly wouldn't have wished this on MYSELF! Are you KIDDING?   I was afraid-and mad (not angry, mad.   I mean angry is what you are at your children or your spouse.  Mad is what you are at the person or people who hurt you or your children or your spouse-it's way way less controlled-it's way way more powerful and it's way way more honest.) And for the first and only time in my life I felt week and stupid.  I worried constantly-I was actually even made fun of by an X-Friend (talk about one of those experiences that could be used to help someone wow! it's still on the shelf too) for not "getting over it".  I tried.  I did well publicly-but internally I was very afraid.  
By August (8 months later) I was convinced the Crack Head knew where I worked and would one day show up in the parking lot to kill me.  (I know it's crazy talk. I'm just being honest here) The fear was just about to take over......Enter the Ninja.... No, seriously...I'm not kidding.  6 years after the event-I make a few honest statements leading to this whole "ninja thing"  1. I still have anger (notice it is now anger, I am no longer mad) 2. I still wish it had never happened (not just to me and my friends-but I wish that for our families.) 3. Only this week am I starting to accept the possibility that this experience could actually be beneficial to someone. (it's been 6 years) 4. If my experience is going to help someone I am going to have to be honest about it.  And that is what I am doing here.  I just realized by pretending I was okay with it all (and I wasn't) I might have been putting un-fair pressure on someone else to "be okay" with what they were going through.  (not helpful) and 5. I  am honestly not afraid now.     In the fall of 2005 I took a few self-defense classes from Chuck Williams a friend and security director at church. His classes focus on helping women who have been abused or have experienced a scary situation like mine.  I have so much respect for Chuck.  You know before I said one of things I felt after the mugging was week and stupid?  I still recall what I was wearing the day Chuck said "you were smart girl" when I explained what I did when the attacker told me to get in my car to get my purse.  As trivial as that sounds-that Thursday night in the gym at HP as Chuck reassured me I had done the smart thing by not getting into my car as commanded-I gained a bit of my self back. For that I am honestly thankful.   A few weeks later I checked out a different style of self defense.  A non-competitive style called Ninjutsu.  Being the peace-loving hippie chick I am, I found the aggressive-tough guy environment a little over-whelming at first.  When I say over-whelming I mean-I was in awe of their level of cool. I came and watched a few classes and thought to myself "I don't want to get to that level-I just want to feel stronger" About a month ago-I realized I am now at the level I thought was unattainable.  I only say that to make a point.  The point I make is this:  For me, taking self defense is not about the belt color or rank I attain (it was never about that).  It was never about competition.  And for 4 years or so it wasn't even about telling anyone I train.  For me it was mostly about the outfit- I mean seriously- Ninjas wear really cool outfits..  Seriously tho, for a while it was about ME-getting my head back-believing that everything was in fact going to be okay.  Now, I am starting to think it might actually be about helping someone else...Like if I can go through this thing-and end up stronger and braver-someone else, even someone who has been through much much worse, can be okay too....And honestly, it's a little bit about the clothes.  Now....send me my t-shirt!

For more information about ninjutsu check out this article  http://www.examiner.com/cultural-events-in-jackson/ninjas-the-hub-city  or look up Our Facebook Page  

I love Candy!

Friday has been declared "candy day" at our house. We had to sort of "reign it in" to one day a week-mostly because of my recent relapse into a full fledged candy addiction. And by "mostly" I mean that's the whole reason. I go through these phases where I am really disciplined and do not eat anything unnatural, no artificial anything. Seriously People it's true.  Nothing from a package is my general rule with few exceptions to the following: yogurt, frozen vegetables and  brown ten minute rice. When in that zone-I am complete "granola". All whole foods-in complete moderation. The only real draw back-well...there are at least two draw backs. 1. Eating at a restaurant is pretty difficult with exception to the salad bar at Jason's Deli. (and a side note little plug for Jason's. They try to provide great-whole foods, as many organically grown vegetables and fruit as possible and no trans fats in their foods.  Even their processed meats and cheeses are minimally so. Plus when we go there on Monday nights at almost closing time-the manager is super nice to us and lets us stay well past closing-there we sit in our booth all hot and sweaty from self-defense class, gobbling up organic goodness from the salad bar just chatting and laughing completely unaware of the time when the manager says "hey- we are going to start cleaning off the salad bar and prepping for tomorrow-can we bring you anything else?" We scramble to say  we are sorry for staying so late but are interrupted by "oh no- we have another 2 hours of work to do-stay as long as you want! We are going to lock you in-but it's nice to have happy company this late in the day"  Kind of a tangent (now there is something new) anyway when I am eating clean and need to grab something quick for dinner-Jason's is my first choice. and TWO...It's kind of expensive to eat this way.  I mean it IS expensive to eat this way.  Fresh fruit and veggies are more expensive than pre-made pasta side items and seasoned rice packets for the microwave. Also more expensive than chips and crackers and cookies and sweets.....OH yes...candy... Right-  okay back on track now.   I was saying I eat clean when I am disciplined to do so.  I am currently allowing and really enjoying my Friday evening splurge.  Here is the deal, TK and I have date night-and at some point in the evening we make a really big deal about going to get CANDY! As you might imagine I talk a lot about it before we actually go- and then there is the "do you love candy as much as me?" line of rhetorical questions. I often start a survey "what is your FAVORITE candy?"  TK: "It's hard to say..." Me: "would it help if I put candy into category?"  TK: "sure"  He humors me.   So I say "What's your favorite chocolate candy?" TK answers... Me: "what's the best chocolate candy you ever ate?"  TK answers. Me: "Would you rather have sugary candy or chocolate candy?"  etc etc.    Once there was even this crazy create your own path type game I played in the car.  "would you choose M&Ms or Reece's Pieces?"  TK: "ohhh hard one....ummm Reece's Pieces." Me:  "okay, Reece's Pieces or Peanut Butter Cup?"   etc etc.  this went on and on and on.  In honor of  Candy Day I will now post images of my favorite candy things.  I must say this CANDY to me is things that are sugary- such as Skittles, Jujubes, Jelly Belly, Hot Tamales, Candy Corn, Jolly Ranchers etc.  Chocolate is a total different category in my book.  Really good chocolate like the kind you can purchase in Amsterdam (and is so rich if you have been eating "clean" for the past year an a half will make your 9 hour flight back to the US miserable I am just sayin') that kind of really good chocolate is an art form for sure.  What Fridays are for me is a day for the sticky-shiny-gummy bear kind of candy most adults think they "out grow".   

 

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Circus Peanuts-better than regular peanuts and Candy Corn- SO MUCH BETTER THAN REGULAR CORN! 
And now- there are these amazing flavors, this season I have tried Caramel, Caramel Apple, and Butterscotch. Along with the traditional flavors.  Anytime I talk about Candy Corn I think of two things.
1. When someone says "if you eat candy corn and peanuts together it tastes just like a Pay Day bar" My close friends know how I feel abou that statement.  It's always funny to hear someone new say it-b/c often times it's like they think they are getting "away" with telling some secret the "candy/peanut police" don't want you to know. (the combo is really great to me tho)  and 2. I think about -
Buddy The Elf




If you like Atomic Fire Balls-let me just share with you a little secret treat the I found on a trip to "The Nation" Me, TK and The Fireman took over a year ago.  There are in fact "soft" Atomic Fire Ball Candies- and they are so so so so good- and so addictive. One of the most appealing things about them is they are not found everywhere-So Far Hastings in Muskogee, OK. Gordman's in Memphis, TN and a fueling station in a remote part of Arkansas are the places I have seen and purchased these incredible edible pieces of art. ohhh man! Thinking about them makes my mouth water.

so..right- this is an art blog-and  some very talented artists actually create art from candy  like  Julia Chiang.  check out her website if you get a second   SWEET!


Another of my favorite  pieces of candy. This collection makes me smile! Enjoy!

Be Sweet!

Kenya Dig It-Twenty-Ten

Kenya-Dig It

 Well....Kenya?   Last week a group of friends gathered up to see some cool art, eat cupcakes and hear live music.  I'd have to say this group of people "KEN" dig it!   Im having trouble with the layout of this blog for some reason-perhaps my punishment for not having blogged in a few months. I forget how to manipulate things and spend way too long re-learning the same things I learned before.  *note to self-blog more often*  For the sake of checking this off my list, and against my creative all-be-it Rain-manish desire for consistancy, I am going to upload a few photos and links relevant to the evening anyway.   First I would like to say- I have some of the most generous and talented friends one could hope for.  Just look at some of the donated art below.  

My "look-a-like" created this-and I will go ahead and say on her behalf-she is not completely happy with it. Well dear friend-welcome to the world of art! Seldom does something I create feel "finished" and even less often am I really "happy" with the project.  I thank you for creating this!

Speaking of hidden talent- The Bass Chick painted this and she doesn't even think she can paint. Thanks so much to my ROCK STAR friend!

The Ninja drew this as well as another Asian inspired charcoal peice.  When I had this matted and framed, I had intentions of buying it for my own house.  A fellow ninja bought both drawings and proudly gave them to his son.

A new friend and super talented lady named Lauren showed and sold some of her work.  Her mother who works for the same company as me-displayed some amazing water color work.  The fun part about these two ladies is they have all this talent and had never shown anyone. I feel honored they chose Kenya Dig It Twenty-Ten as their first shows.  I know it was scary but I am so thankful they did it!

Dayo!  (It's pronounced Die-oh but she will never correct you) I will soon dedicate an entire blog to this artist and friend.  As I mentioned before, she donated a piece last year and when we met I was immediately tearful-I can not explain it. I just knew we would be friends.  And friends we are!  If you get a chance check out her web-shop at etsy.

www.etsy.com/shop/Dayoart  

And this is a cool picture of my friend Jen. She didn't paint anything for Kenya Dig It-but her friendship and life is an art all unto its self.  I would lay my life down for this friend and that is no joke.  We've been half way around the world together and will be doing that again!  Let me just say this about Jen-if you get to choose one person to have in your corner-you want it to be her.  I digress.  This picture curtesey of Thejacksonsun.com.  Displayed behind Jen is some of my work.  The little girl in the blue dress was painted off a sketch that appeared in another blog some time ago- I also finally finished that dragon fly after a year of re-dos and do overs and ughhhhhs! 

sometimes I forget to name or title my paintings. I didn't think about this one until the guy who bought it was gone.  The bass chick acutally "told" me to do this painting-as she worked on something else in my art room.  If I could go back and name this painting I would call it "Sue's Cross"

This is the guy who purchased "Sue's Cross" He is a Secret Agent of sorts. And the hot chick with him is Andi.  Hence forth known as "26.2" She works for ISF the organization that got all this Kenya medical mission fever started for TK and I.   What a gal!

Just three of MANY MANY people who make an event like this possible.  I would like to point out the sheer dedication of Josi-she came in to work early so she could see everything before her shift started. And then pushed cupcakes to her co-workers.   Anything for the cause right?  right!

Speaking of cupcakes!  There were many!   I was inspired to create the cupcake display by a show on Food Net Work calld Cup Cake Wars. 

www.foodnetwork.com/cupcake-wars/index.html   

"Mean Bean"  A Vanilla Bean cupcake with Vanilla Bean Butter Cream Frosting and and Organic White Sprinkles. Garnished with an Organic White Chocolate Heart!

"The King"  Peanut Butter and Banana with chocolate-makes you say "ahh thankyou...thankyouvery much!"

One of the coolest things we had the chance to do this year at Kenya Dig It is have live musical acts.  Two of my coworkers shared their vocal talent  and then there is Steve.  Oh---MY- GOSH!  He plays drums in a couple of bands and man! He's awesome!  He's so talented and so passionate about that talent it makes me wish I played the drums! 

It feels kind of strange after an event like this is over.  It was the consumption of the majority of my free time since July.  I thought about it, prayed about it, TALKED about it- (I'll take this time to say to any friends who were sick of hearing about it- I am sorry)  Try as I may, I just can't help it.  It's what I love.  There were so many other friends who created jewelry (Adrian),sold T-shirts,took money and tickets at the door, asked for donations, cleaned up at the end,  set up trees or took down tables, made coffee, let me store cupcakes in your freezers,  sent tickets to invite guests or  showed up in support of the cause and for those people I am thankful in a way I can not easily express in words.  If you are reading this blog and you had any part in the event.  TK and I thank you!  Thanks for being a part of  our story!   

  The orphans-well...they have my heart.  And when a group of friends are willing to pull together and come out to raise awareness and money and bring hope to children they may never even meet, it gives total purpose to me.  It makes me believe we are all part of something truely worth while. 

TK, The Fireman and I will be traveling to Malava, Kenya in December this year.  We are going to spend our Christmas at Tumaini-Miles of Smiles Children's Home!!! What a cool chapter this will be!!!!  We will be working with a medical mission team to bring health care to 5 different communities in the area while we are there.  If you would like to be involved in our story by making a donation towards medical supplies or children's needs please visit http://www.sportsmissions.com/  for more information or contact me via email.   












Paint by numbers...AKA A Blog To Remember

“my phone number?” I replied to the check out lady at Pottery Barn Outlet

“yes ma’am. Your home telephone number” she must have thought I didn’t understand the question or that I was irritated by it.
She was half right. I am irritated by it. I am NOT irritated at the girl asking, I am irritated at the concept. I understand this is how a company tracks it’s target audience and does low cost mail out advertisements. I get that. And still. It bothers me. I do not wish to be asked ANY questions while checking out at ANY store. (exceptions would be seasonal small talk “Hot enough for ya?” or “You finished with all your Christmas shopping?” these questions are okay. Additionally I do not mind chatter regarding my attire “ohh, I love those earrings” or the occasional inquiry as to where one might obtain a handbag such as the Vera Bradley I am carrying. All of these types of questions are okay with me, not necessary, but okay.

Back to my phone number- “I uhhh…well…I have drawn a complete blank” I told the girl who just rolled her eyes. I don’t care that she didn’t believe me, what I care about is the fact that it was true! I could not-for the life of me recall my own phone number. A complete blank.. I have wondered about this incident off and on since it happened and there is the common assumption of getting older and the pressure of the moment caused me to draw a blank and then there is what I find the most comical excuse “I never call myself.” For the record and for me personally, this excuse is invalid-I have never really called myself so the fact that now all of a sudden I can’t remember my phone number requires a better explanation.

My best reasoning is this: I have too many numbers/passwords and names to manage.

There are PIN numbers for no less than 4 different debit card/credit cards. There are PIN numbers for my cell phone voice mail, work phone voice mail, and my work-cell phone voice mail (of course they are not all the same…have you met me?) and my bosses voice mail. There is a security alarm code, The fireman’s garage door code (the fact that I remember this is crazy since I only knew it for the purpose of painting while he wasn’t at home and since then he changed the code and gave that information to me. I remember the first one AND now the new one) TK’s mail box number at the UPS store, the log in for face book, my space, AOL, Gmail, Outlook, Ebay, Paypal, Snap fish, Walgreens photo, Amazon, Itunes and three operating systems used for my work PC. Then there are birthdays and Anniversaries which I almost never get right. Not to mention the names of friend’s pets. (The ninja’s dog-Peanut, Maggies dog, Kittie, (RIP Kittie) The actors dogs-Pomp and Zoe, Sisters dog-Izzie, Little sister’s cats-Van and Harleigh, Aim’s house full O’ dogs, Tink, BW (stands for Bruce Wayne) Einstein and there is another one I can’t recall, Jdub has a dog named Jennie (I never spell it correctly) and just recently he told me that his love has a dog-and I promised to commit that to memory but… See what I mean? And there’s the inanimate objects I have named over the years. My Kitchen-aid stand mixer who is the color of gun metal and the heavy duty version (the pro-6) I named him Gunner, My newest Ipod, I-Tod, (as in “the Todd” from Scrubs) I named my net-book computer Hector, (without reason) and my 2.5 inch square twist phone-Huey (as in Lewis-b/c it’s “Hip To Be Square”). I did not name my cars tho (and I find this a little inconsistent since I obviously name lots of other things) But little sisters convinced me my new car needed a name-thus he was named Maurice. Maurice Nelson the 6th officially-But “Mo Nelson” to those who love him. My point is this, I have, we ALL have lots and lots to remember. For those of you with children the list is even longer b/c let’s face it-the kids want you to remember their names right? and then they have birthdays and social security numbers and favorite pets and stuffed toys they name and teachers and dance instructors and schedules to keep. I also have a mind full of information I really don’t need anymore but can not forget. Like the Preamble to The Constitution. (Thanks so much Miss J Allen for teaching me this in 7th grade) I mean with exception to last Wednesday night in church- I have never once been asked to recite the preamble. And in fairness I wasn’t directly asked to recite it then- I believe it was kind of an open ended rhetorical question-so that doesn’t even count. I also remember what I wore to school the first day of school every school year. I can recall the color of socks my dad was wearing and the song on the radio as he drove his team to the High-School boys State Tournament in 1984. Oddly enough I recall the numerical combination to the lock on a musician friend’s brief case-He gave me the code on a Friday in 1997…I was wearing Doc Martin lace up brown leather shoes (purchased for Christmas by my BFF Darla the previous year) Jeans and my room-mate Natalie’s red half zip fleece. See….. My mind is like a steel trap-I like to say…but only when it comes to things of little use. My phone number…well. Somehow it escaped.

All of this is true but it serves as a nice lead to tell you...

This weekend I will begin painting some numbers. I could have just said that at the start but what a short blog this would have been.

Like The Fruit..Part 3 (Cheri's Cherries)

See Cherries......

See Cheri WITH her Cherries.....

She's more than just a fruit you know...I mean YOU may not know, but you should. (And Universal You, what I would call my band if I had one) Universal You---already knows.  She IS a fruit-no one is trying to argue that point-but she's so much more.  Oh yes faithful followers of this crazy blog...This fruit we call Cheri is more complex than her name and elementary school age-self given title would imply...Cheri is in fact if we are sticking with the food analogy---like an onion.  You know....layers..depth...each one peeled back uncovers the next.   Each layer cohesively making the onion as a whole. The most visible layers would be like that bright purple exterior on a red onion (side note, why is purple cabbage called PURPLE...but purple onions are called RED? That is not a rhetorical question...If someone knows the answer to this-I really would like to know) As I was saying...That first layer-is the all important outside-We'll call this The fashionista part of my dear friend-and does she ever have that layer- I mean seriously...This gal can take a $8.00 consignment store scarf and a clearance rack skirt-throw on a pair of boots and some bangle bracelets and HOLY COW she is all about it. Just beyond that is the humor.  I can not begin to communicate the whit and humor that make up this layer.  I won't even try....but if you saw what is pasted on the door to her office right now you would award appropriate humor points.  She's a word-smith.  She can turn a phrase like few I have known (and keep in mind I am married to a three time published author). I haven't known this fruit for long- but we have shared countless hours of banter-music, politics, travel, wishes, criticisms, complaints and compliments.   Hands down one of the coolest chicks I've known.  And just when you get all caught up in the cool, you find this "momma" layer and this wisdom layer and this "I'll challenge you to be better than you think you are" layer and the "I'm so confident in what I am doing-it is sure to rub off on you." layer. Layer after layer you find motivation, drive, determination (all those characteristics found on cheesy office posters). make your own motivational poster I fear Cheri, like the onion, doesn't have quite the appeal as it's predecessor and wouldn't want to change it anyway, however I hope to leave you with a visual depiction of this layered up fruit.  I went to my faithful friend google.com and searched "onion art"  and found this super cool digital art by Edward Kinnally- Electric Onion he calls her....beautiful...just like the fruit!

Electric Onion