Tchotchke

One of my co-workers once lived in Israel for a couple of years. She recently made a return visit. Because she knew T was interested in Judaism and Israel, she asked me if she could bring him a little something from the trip. "Sure!" I said. "Anything at all!"

When she came back last week, she handed me a bag of goodies. There were tourist brochures and maps, a couple of coins ("Don't get too excited," she said, "because they aren't worth much."), and a few other doodads. The next day, she brought another bag full of memorabilia.

One of the gifts was this little oil lamp. I believe she said it is from Nazareth Village. It's tiny, only about three inches across. She said cheap olive oil is perfectly fine to burn in it. (T calls it the slutty oil, as opposed to the extra-virgin.) Traditionally, the first pressing of the olives is for God, the second is for cooking, and the third is for lamps.

I have olive oil, and it won't take too much to fill up this little guy. As soon as I figure out where to buy, or how to make, wicks, we're going to have us a working lamp.

When one has a lamp, of course, one must keep it trimmed and burning.

Sorry about this, chief

I found a Flickr photo and said, Share It via Blogger. Then I wrote a nice thoughtful post to go with it.

And then Flickr said, "Your credentials are invalid" and ate the post.

Grrr. You would think I would have learned to work offline, but no.

And now it is too late to start over. You get no picture, and you get no sensitive story from Ash Wednesday service.

All you have is my sputtering attempt to get something posted, thus fulfilling my "What was I thinking?" declaration to Sand that I would blog more during Lent.

And just for the record, I started this blog nine years ago today. Huzzah. It's also too late to find another picture of my brother to post for his birthday, so just go look at the one I posted then.

Fly like an eagle

As usual, we went to the Iowa Star Party over Labor Day Weekend. It was too hot, and then it was too cloudy, and then it was too rainy and windy, but after that, it was perfect. While we were at Whiterock, SOAR released several injured and rehabilitated raptors - two kestrels, two hawks, and an eagle. They took each bird on a walkabout before releasing it. They all passed maybe four feet away from where I stood. Even with just my cell phone camera, I was able to take really sharp pictures.

Brother Eagle was very well behaved, but I could see in his eyes that he was ready to get out of there.



The obvious musical bibelot at this point would be "Fly Like An Eagle", but this song is prettier and more eagle-ish, in my considered opinion. Once again, there is no video to it, so just make your own video with your imagination.

Romance in the air

Today, I got to do something I have never done before. I went to a book launch party. Author Melissa Tagg's first romantic comedy, Made To Last, debuted last weekend, and there was a big shindig in her hometown today. It was a perfect almost-autumn day, so of course I was game for a road trip.

I'm impressed by people who can put together good parties, and this one was a corker. The book centers around a home-repair TV show, and the decorations included ladders, saws, hazard tape, and other Tool Time paraphernalia. There was popcorn, and wheelbarrow full of soft drinks, and an amazing cookie buffet, courtesy of the church ladies who rallied to the call. Of course, fancy lighting always helps with the ambiance.




On the subject of romance, this song has been in heavy rotation on Sirius Broadway. It's catchy, and has become quite an earworm for me this week. The video ain't much, so just close your eyes and enjoy.

When genres collide

I should write something witty to support what follows, but words escape me. Is it hilarious? Vulgar? Desperate? Brilliant? You be the judge. But hear it from me, the horn arrangement is smoking hot.



C'mon!

There she is

Madam Senior Editor advised commanded us in our weekly chat, "Update your blogs this week." So with minutes to spare, I am doing so.

I'm taken aback at how long it has been. Eep. Since then, I have started a new job, working in the administration office for a non-profit. I enjoy the work, the office is clean, comfortable, and younger than me. My co-workers are kind-hearted and fun. The last few months at BigCorpInc were dramatically stressful, and it has been very therapeutic to be in a kinder, gentler, and more local environment.

Tonight, I used blogging as my justification for keeping the TV on and watching Miss America. Don't judge me. I grew up in a state pageant town. Most of the parades I saw as a kid were pageant parades. Even when I was grown, I often watched Miss America with my mother, since it usually occurred during my September visit.

After having been away for a few unmemorable years, Miss America is back in Atlantic City, as it should be, and back on prime time. By the time it got to the final five, I was able to call the winner. Why would you not want to pick the Bollywood dancer? The ginger-haired step dancer would have worked for me, as well, but she did not make it to the finals.

And so, to bed.

I'll try not to stay away so long next time. I even have reasons.

Poem In Your Pocket Day

Let's see if this works.

listen to ‘Poem In Your (audio) Pocket’ on Audioboo

Abstracted Minutia

DRAW! Day 19: Abstracted Minutia, a photo by chaimann on Flickr.

This was a fun exercise. Collect a bunch of little doodads, arrange them, and draw them using different media.

Moving the sofa yielded several of the knickknacks, and it also facilitated a much-needed vacuuming.

Variety

DRAW! Day 18: Abstracted Drawings, a photo by chaimann on Flickr.

Believe it or not, these were all drawn from the same reference photo. Today's theme was "abstracted drawings", and the variation among these proves that point. Pop over to my Flickr to see some other drawings of the same picture, done with stick graphite. (There are also some more figure drawings from yesterday, artfully NSFW,)

We had an "ice day" today. That's like a snow day without snow. Rain falling on cold streets makes a slippery mess. Many churches, including ours, cancelled services, so we hung out at the house. I made pasta, and then kicked it up a notch with chocolate chip cookies. Then I drew. That makes a good day all around.

Feel the fear

DRAW! Day 16: Ten Minute Figure, a photo by chaimann on Flickr.

You've heard the saying, "Feel the fear, and do it anyway"? Yeah, that.

Today's art assignment was ten-minute figure drawing. Even though I'm a prude at heart, I wanted to have the full artist experience, so I browsed both clothed and unclothed models here.

The first picture that said, "Draw me!" appears to be a vintage photo from the flapper era, with the Louise Brooks hair and all. Heck, it may BE Louise Brooks, for all I know. A quick Google search just now indicates that she was not unfamiliar with posing au naturel.

I decided if she could pose it, I could darned well draw it, and I did. Parts of it are a mess (pay no attention to the calves), but parts of it are impressive.

Luckily, I am more enchanted by the good lines than I am annoyed by the bad ones. I was nervous about doing the exercise at all. Just finishing it was a victory, and liking some of it is a wonderful bonus

Even better, it was fun, and I can't wait to do it again.

(Don't know who Louise Brooks was? Look here, and here, and below.)

Almost like life

DRAW! Day 15: Figure Drawing - Gesture, a photo by chaimann on Flickr.

Today I did some 10-second and 30-second gesture drawings of figures. "Figures" is art speak for NEKKID HUMAN BODIES ZOMG!!!

I didn't have any actual nekkid bodies on hand, though, so I used the figures at Posemaniacs. That site uses muscle figures, for lack of a better term, so it's somewhat less shocking to my delicate sensibilities than real people with skin and everything.

This was actually a lot of fun, once I got started. If not for the annoyance of turning the pages in the sketch pad, I'd probably still be doing them.

The weather outside was frightful

DRAW! Day 11: Pencil sketch, a photo by chaimann on Flickr.

So I had plenty of indoor time to work on today's drawing. I wanted something that had irregular lines and shadows, and boy, did this crumpled cap meet that requirement.

Parts of it I like, and parts of it remind me that there is still a lot I don't know. I'm cool with that.

And the part over at the far left, the line sticking out from the bill, all crazy-like? That reminds me to check the scanner for cat hair.

Don't look back

DRAW! Day 8: Blob Animal, a photo by chaimann on Flickr.

This dude, today's drawing project, appears not to have like whatever he saw when HE looked back.

Who???

DRAW! Day 6: Cheater Blind, a photo by chaimann on Flickr.

Today is Day 6 of the three weeks of drawing adventures. For this project, I could draw a person or an animal. Once I thought of owls, I spent more time than I should have, just looking at owl pictures online. This one was titled "Mad Owl", but trust me, there are some that look way scarier.

New year, new look

DRAW! Day 1: Wrong Handed Drawing, a photo by chaimann on Flickr.

I was looking at the blog the other day, and decided it was time for a change. So, out with the old staid brown, and in with the new pink and orange and whatever color this is.

I've probably mentioned before, I no longer do New Year's resolutions. That doesn't mean I am immune to the desire to start, or restart, projects during the deep of winter. First up: drawing, every day for three weeks. Today is Day 5, but this picture is from Day 1. These are drawings done with my left (non-dominant) hand.

The car is a cheap piggy bank. When I was in junior high, my mom and I saved coins in this bank to finance a trip to Washington. DC. and the Pennsylvania Dutch country.

When a friend's grandmother died, they brought her collection of stuffed toys to the visitation, and invited visitors to take one. I took the little stuffed lamb. It bleats when you press the "Try Me" spot.

The wooden doohickey is a Turkish spindle. It's a wool thing.

That was sudden

I forgot to say what I was thankful for yesterday. It was the uncharacteristic weather. It was in the 70s during the day. Even after dark, I was outside in short sleeves and sandals.

Pity that I didn't mention it then. Today was very, very different - rainy, windy, and cold. "Where the heck are my gloves?" cold. Fifty-some degrees colder than yesterday. "I can't believe it's not snowing" cold.

That made it a perfect day, though, to go hang out in a coffee shop with some girlfriends I haven't seen for awhile. It was great visiting and catching up, and I'm thankful we had that time together. I took some knitting, and that always seems to go faster when we are all chatting.

Is there any better song when you are feeling warm and fuzzy about your friends than this one? I think not.

Making book(s)

Without further ado, here are the results of my initial foray into bookbinding. Yeah, you heard me. Bookbinding.



These little books are as simple as can be. The covers are advertisements that I gessoed and painted with super-cheap acrylics. The book on the left has a few pages of watercolor paper, and the one on the right has plain old copier paper. The binding string is waxed dental floss.

I found the instructions (The Three-Minute Pamphlet) in The Complete Decorated Journal by Gwen Diehn. She enticed me by calling the chapter "The Reluctant Bookbinder". Bookbinding strikes me as one of those hobbies that is fraught with the need to accumulate a whole new set of tools and ephemera and dedicated space, but I was able to make these books with things I had on hand. In addition to the elements in the finished books, I needed paperclips, a phone book, and a pushpin to use as an awl. I imagine the paint would be optional if your covers were something prettier than an Office Depot ad.

Now someone tell me to use them, okay?

Here's a song you probably haven't heard unless you are a real Broadway aficionado. It's from 1974's "Mack and Mabel", about silent screen personalities Mack Sennett and Mabel Normand. It was a flop for many reasons, but not for the quality of the songs (by Michael Stewart and Jerry Herman) nor the inate talent of the leads (Robert Preston and Bernadette Peters). Fortunately, we got a cast album before the show closed.



(Want to see more? See highlights from the first West End Production here and here, and Miss Peters showstopper o' heartbreak song here.)

Comfy

We're having a slight warm up this week. 50s today, 60s Friday, 70s Saturday. If that materializes, it will be a good reason to be thankful. Then there is a chance of snow next week. That's November for you.

T assembled a desk chair for my writing desk. I'm thankful for that, too. Style-wise, it's completely wrong for the pretty little desk, but the dining chair I was using had been glued back together several times, and was not going to last forever.

One of my friends commented on Facebook about the last post. She said she had never heard the un-bowdlerized version of BB&B, and this from someone whose arcane song knowledge equals or exceeds my own. When I can enlighten others in such important ways, it makes me feel that all my hard work ain't been in vain for nothing.

Here's another gem you may not know. Before Kander and Ebb wrote Cabaret, their first collaboration was Flora the Red Menace. The star of the show was a still-teenaged Liza Minnelli. The cast album recording is very belty, because, duh, Liza. I like this tender version, though, and of course, her co-star is ne plus ultra.

Not totally refreshed

Thanks to the early call of the election, I got a decent night's sleep. I woke up at 2:00 AM, though, a little thirsty and a little congested. After getting a drink and blowing my nose, I took a quick peek at the intrawebz via the cell phone, just to make sure that no one had said, "Psych! Take back!" They hadn't, so I went back to sleep.

Then this morning, I made a pot of coffee, and filled my travel mug with the elixir of life... and forgot to take it to work. D'oh! I drank a little of the office swill coffee, which made me quite thankful that I have the means to enjoy something a little better most of the time. I hope T enjoyed his coffee, at least.

I did a little knitting AND a little spinning, to make up for Artless Tuesday.

Today's nightcap is a regular in the Great American Songbook. There are two sets of lyrics, though. You can spot the AM radio version in the line, "Couldn't sleep, and wouldn't sleep, 'til love came and told me I shouldn't sleep." Umm, what? This version has the PG lyrics, which do a much better job of expressing bewitchment and bother. You may want to have a cigarette ready for after.

No all-nighter

One of the advantages of getting older is finding that it is not necessary to stay up late watching election returns. I did my thing, and if I have to wait until tomorrow, or the next day, to find out what everyone else did, so be it.

Aside from being thankful that the campaign ads have ended, I am thankful that I got my butt in gear and cooked a tasty dinner tonight, rather than ordering pizza, which was my first instinct. That was mighty big of me.

Did I do anything arty today? Not much to speak of. I'll make it up, I promise.

Here's another political song about days gone by, from Fiorello!, a musical about Fiorello La Guardia, that had the misfortune of opening in the same season as The Sound of Music.