Saturday, April 25, 2015

Waltzing Mathilda.


Best Wishes to my Antipodeal Friends, on the 100th anniversary of the Gallipoli Landing.

Friday, April 24, 2015

Aurora

Just a simple series of knitted concentric circles in a soft, hazy acrylic the color of an early Spring evening.

Started it to break out of a rut.  As with all projects of this nature, it's coming along slower than I'd like.  Am enjoying its progress, though.  When this one gets off the needles, might try another and, who knows?  maybe even take the pattern down.



Thursday, April 23, 2015

Barometric Changes.

The beauty of tonight's sunset wasn't viewed in the west, but in the East.  As there's Weather blowing in, the sky was was a mottled gray which contrasted spectacularly with the gold of the last of daylight and the bright green Norway buds.  How everything kept changing!

Dropped everything I needed to get done before darkness set in to just drink in the spectacle before it faded away.

Evening Light in the Norway Maples

To the East.
Watercolored sky and the Rolling Hills of Medford.


Wednesday, April 22, 2015

Self-Help.

Guess I've been in a rut for some time now.  Spinning the wheels and not moving forward is getting frustrating.  Rather than calling someone to tow me out (there's quite a wait for that nowadays), decided to rummage around in the trunk to see what I have in the tool kit that might help.

Found my copy of the Feeling Good Handbook, which is probably one of the best texts on how to re frame one's thoughts in order to "find the courage to get things done."  This was recommended to me years ago by a counselor friend who understood me to be the tough cookie / anti self-help type that I am.  Am glad to have given her suggestion the benefit of the doubt, and am enjoying re reading / re working the exercises.

After years of sort-of following a low-carb diet and then not, finally picked up a copy of Gary Taubes's Why We Get Fat and What to Do About It.  It's a very good synopsis about the science around what causes obesity, how the current medical recommendations are incorrect, and what one should do to lose weight.  Had a hard time warming up to Mr. Taubes's style, but now we're doing fine.  Am currently following the guidelines in the appendix, as well.  I won't say that I'm doing Great (housemate tells me I'm suffering from "induction flu;" it's a mild case, though.).  Am finding it easier to fall asleep, stay asleep and wake up in the mornings, though, and that's Really Good.

Effortless Mastery by Kenny Werner.  That's from college.  Was a woodwind player back then.  Afterwards, started playing the piano Very Poorly.  That Very Poor Playing made me so happy, though.  Somewhere down the road, I lost the music.  All of it.  Need to get back in touch with that part of me that luxuriated in playing Poulenc at half speed, that cracked puns in French with a Buffalo accent, that loved messing messily with color.  It's still there; I can feel it.  Just got buried under sadness.

Baby Steps.  Weekends used to be spent on mountain trails.  Now, am lucky if I can get the daily three miles in, and maybe a 30 second plank.  Broke two fingers on my right hand late last Fall, so the Hanon exercises need to Go Slow.  Poulenc's out of my range right now, so am playing some shorter pieces from a little album of Romantic Music very slowly.  Then, there's the Putting Myself Out There business.  That's never been easy.  Right now, even contemplating it is scaring the heck out of me, though the reasonable side knows that fear is irrational.  Baby Steps.

Tuesday, April 21, 2015

You Can't Beat the Classics.

Groaned inwardly on seeing this article, as I knew exactly how things were going to turn out.

Plus sized or not, many of us just do not have the bodies what's as one of the testers called "fashionable as f#ck." I know that I certainly don't, having been born with these terrible deformities known as "boobs," "hips," "a belly," and "a be-hind."
Luckily, with age came, if not wisdom, at least a bit of awareness. In essence:
1.) I'll Never be weight-chart thin, much less model thin. That's fine. Have seen images of my body in all sizes hanging in places like the Prado, the Louvre, Boston's MFA, heck, even back in Buffalo at the Albright-Knox. My shape runs through history: from the Sumerian to Syriac goddesses to Renaissance / Baroque / Romantic era beauties, right on up to the Strong, Can-Do Social Realist Ladies. I even see me in the Contemporary galleries from time to time; mostly among New England artists like Andrew Stevovich (one of my favorites).

2.) Given that I'm such a classic beauty, wouldn't it stand to reason that, instead of trying to squeeze myself into spandex sausage tubes, I might stick with Classic styles? Have some go-to items in my closet that date back to even after college. Heck, tailoring outside my realm of ability really doesn't cost that much.

3.) Buying online is convenient, but I don't trust it for most places; sizing varies widely. Have had to return items from just about every on line outfit. Better stores (like Brooks Brothers) have very helpful, not to mention well trained staff with a Good Eye to help pick what looks best.

4.) Good Undergarments are *key.* These are the last items one should be skimping on. Get fitted properly for a bra; you'd be amazed at how many women aren't wearing their correct size.
Yeah, that's me.