July Updates

I cant believe I haven't posted since May! Ok, I can believe it; I get like that sometimes.

Thanks to all of you who emailed me. Everything is fine. I have been really busy at work. And instead of being online I've been reading and painting! I have 2 paintings going on right now. One I'm not too happy with and need to change a few things. I'll post it when I'm happy with it. The other is large (30 x 30 in, 76 x 76 cm) and I expect the grisaille underpainting may take me a few months to complete. But it will be so worth it. The smell of linseed oil is marvellous and painting makes me very happy. Oil paint makes me especially happy. I don't know how anyone can live without it. :)

The new cat is going back to Connecticut this weekend. Having 2 cats is just not working. She's as sweet as can be, and she's come out of her shell but Sigynn is not. happy. at. all.

She's so unhappy that she pees right outside the litter box about every other day or so. Also, they fight. In the middle of the night. Because Daya doesn't want the cat in her room while she falls asleep. So I either have Daya waking me up to move Dizzy out of her room, or I have cats fighting in the middle of the night, or I wake up to the fragrant smell of cat pee.

All of these things are interfering with my sleep. So kitty must go. I will never ever try and put another cat with Sigynn. Which I knew before; I should really just listen to myself when I know I'm right.

I do hope you are well. I'll resume Cactus Monday at some point, and I'll catch up on all of your lovely blogs as well.

Oh, also, Pigeon Risk is coming up and the August crap is already starting. Again with the transit. Did you know that the subway fare went up to $2.25? Well, it did. And I didn't change my pre-tax commuter benefit for the month of August, so once again, I'll be paying double transit in August. It will even out in October when I skip a paycheck deduction but...really...something like this seems to happen every August. Good thing I have Pigeon Risk in place. I'll also be travelling next month to see family, so I might need double Pigeon Risk vibes.

You are all welcome to join me for Pigeon Risk Time (PRT).

Friends

This cat is the sweetest cat EVER. She's friendlier than Sigynn and better around Daya, which is wonderful. Yesterday afternoon she officially came out of hiding and turned on the charm. She doesn't care if Daya gets up in her face and she's not skittish at all. But, I guess what can you expect from a cat that was bottle fed by people from 10 days old?

Now it all depends on Sigynn to make the final choice.

CAcTus Monday- Dizzy Edition

I went to Connecticut. Got back last night. I went to visit my friend Cathy and help paint her dining room. And tease her for having 10 cats when the limit was set to six.

I can't have more than one cat because Sigynn *really* hates other cats.

However.

One of Cathy's cats isn't too happy with the 10 cat situation. She's being bullied. She's becoming a loner. Not good.

So....I have acquired another cat, Dizzy. On a trial basis until mid-July. If she and Sigynn are still hostile and growling I'll take Dizzy back to Connecticut. If this works out Dizzy will be Daya's cat, because I can say Sigynn is Daya's cat all I want to but we all know she's MY cat.

Dizzy is 2 1/2 years old and Cathy had her from 10 days old. They bottle fed her. Cathy wouldn't give one of her cats to just anyone, and I certainly wouldn't even consider taking in another cat unless it was a really special circumstance like this one.

Dizzy is hanging out under Daya's bed. Isn't she gorgeous??

2 Posts in One Day!

I gave a quick call to Soulbrush today. She has such good vibes, and I came home and immediately started a new painting. Lovely silky wonderful oils. I missed them.

Will post the painting when it is done, hopefully next week sometime.

An actual Blog post

I am in such a pissy awful terrible mood and I have to remind myself to be nice to people. I think it's hormones.

Anyhow.

There is a weird LOW bass noise in my apartment and I can't figure out what it is or where it is coming from but it is DRIVING. ME. INSANE. I feel it in my bones, it is such a low and unpleasant vibration. And it never fucking stops.

Actually I think I finally figured it out but can't be 100% sure.

I think my upstairs neighbors got a Roomba.

While it might sound funny, it really isn't. For the love of all that is good in this world, if you live in an apartment and someone lives below you, and you MUST get one of these things, PLEASE do not run it 24-7. Or overnight.

The most fucked up thing about it is that I kind of want one to scrub my kitchen floor all the time. And I really want to stop hearing that awful constant low rumble from above. I can even hear it through my earplugs.

NYC is grating on my nerves so badly these days it is awful. I was going to move this summer...but...really unique and amazing opportunities are happening with my job and I am not willing to leave until I can be non-location specific, which is in the works.

:(

Not Sure What This Means...

So this morning I woke up from a dream that I was in the art store and I found this WONDERFUL AND AMAZING BOOK that was beautifully designed and illustrated with lovely plant illustrations. It was almost medieval looking. So cool. And it was all about plants from bogs.

I am such a geek.

Cactus Monday (#61)

Senita and NellY went walking in London
But as they crossed The Strand
They looked RIGHT instead of left...
And that is how they became...

SIDEWALK ART



Next week: Don't miss how Senita and NellY reincarnate!

Really Quick b/c I'm Tired

Am up too late. Must sleep. Have actually been workking. Hard. Can you imagine. Have to do it again tomorrow.

Have also discovered the hard way that the fridge in my hotel room is not actually cold. Not at all. Shouldn't even be called a fridge. Am too tired to bother checking to see if it's plugged in or not. The milk's already gone bad so it's not worth checking.

The cereal is ok though.

Am still loving every second of London. The Jack the Ripper tour was fabuloso.

I am going to see Soulbrush tomorrow. Can't wait.

Soulbrush

It is a rare thing in life to find someone who is such a kindred spirit that they immediately take up permanent residence in your heart. And Soulbrush is a rare lady indeed. For one thing she has pink hair. For another, she's crazy. Which is why I am very proud to present this special, unique, and extremely prestigious award:


(showing off my mad Photoshop skillz hee hee)

We spent 9 hours together and talked the entire time. And we're not done talking so she's invited me over to dinner Thursday night. And you know what that means: I GET TO MEET SNUFFLES! (and hopefully Maggie but not guaranteed)

This morning we met at Trafalgar Square and talked for a while. Then we went to the National Gallery for a few minutes so I can say I've been there. Unlike New York, you cannot take any pictures whatsoever AT ALL even without a flash NO EXCEPTIONS.

Here is the pic I took when the guard wasn't looking:



We left very quickly afterwards.

Then we went walking down...well I forgot what street but we went to a little tourist shop and bought....



...matching condoms!

Aren't these hilarious?



Here's what we did next:



I pet the horse and the sign was wrong: he did not bite me.

We went on a boat down the Thames. It was beautiful.



We walked across London Bridge.



Then we went to this supercool pub that had actual gravestones in the garden.





WE SAW A GHOST behind the resident garden gargoyle. Check this out: what do you think?



Then we went for a beautiful and proper Afternoon Tea. Which turned out to be a British/South African Afternoon Tea, because Soulbrush and I both had tea from South Arica with British scones and meringues. It was pure heaven.



Speaking of South Africa, that country won't leave me alone. I keep meeting things/people South African. Soulbrush herself is South African. I found a South African place here:



And I'm staying right across the road from here:



The cool thing about not having to pay for this trip is I can do more shopping!!!!! Daya made out exceptionally well today. I will have to get very creative when packing my suitcase. Soul, THANK YOU for the beautiful gifts you bought for Daya. And my funky tea cozy.



Here are some night photos:







Soul, THANK YOU for such an amazing and FUN day!!! Can't wait to see you Thursday!!

Some London Observations

I have been awake for 35 hours. I relaxed on the plane but didn't really fall asleep even though that was the best and most comfy flight EVER. After I got off the plane, I kept hearing over and over like a mantra, Monty Python singing "I'm so worried about the baggage retrieval system they've got at Heathrow!"

Fortunately the baggage system worked out just fine for me. But I genuinely appreciated Monty Python's concern.

I feel very comfortable in London. Maybe it's because I'm so accustomed to being in a city already- I love to walk and I'm comfy on subways. Also, I can read a map. Which makes exploring fun.

Here's what I like about London:
*All the street crossings tell you to look left or right, depending on what direction cars will come from.
*The Tube signs don't say Exit- they say "Way Out". I like that. There is something friendly and encouraging about it. How many times throughout life do we say to ourselves, "Oh, I need a way out of this situation, a way out of debt, a way out of this horrid relationship etc"...well, in the Tube there is a Way Out. And it's clearly labeled. (Also, I like to add a silent "there" at the end, which makes me feel like I'm "way out there".)
*Accents. EVERYONE here has a cool accent. Americans do NOT have cool accents.
*Manners. People say please and thanks and sorry. And they call you "my dear" and "my love". There is something very human about it. Take for example when I bought my Oyster card (for the Tube (subway)). The guy in the ticket booth was super nice. In NYC, they just kind of yell at you. Or don't say anything at all.
*London is neither as crowded nor as frantic as NYC. I like that.
*The black taxis. So I took this black taxi from Paddington Station to my hotel. At the end of the trip I told the cabbie that these London cabs are really much better than cabs in NYC. His response: "We're the best in the world! It took me three years to learn how to do my job." This dude was very, very proud of his job. Soulbrush (who I am meeting tomorrow YAY) told me they actually have to write exams to drive those taxis.

What I do not like about London:
*Places close. 8pm and everything is shutting down and going quiet except for some pubs.
*The electrical outlets. They are UGLY.
*The street signs are not on sign posts at the street corners. They are (sometimes) posted high up on buildings. So it can be challenging to tell what street you are on. I keep looking automatically at the corners. NYC is good like that; you always know what street you are on.

So far I have managed to not get into any trouble. And of course I did end up in the local witchy shop. Of course. :)

I bought a dress for Daya. This photo does no justice to the color- it GLOWS. I *had* to get it. It has petticoats and tulle, was made in Nottingham and is beautiful.



Say what you will about pomp and ritual and Buckingham Palace- this dude has the most BORING job ever. Just because it's world famous doesn't make it fun.



Also, I haven't seen an iPood t-shirt in NYC yet, which is kind of amazing. It's the kind of thing you'd think would definitely be there. Maybe it is there and I just missed it. But I'm pretty sure I haven't seen it.



Am going to sleep now. Nite!

Have Made a Very Important Decision

This is what I decided: I am going to get rich.

Right now I am in the British Airways lounge at JFK. Because work is paying for me to go business class. It's NICE in here. There's free food and drink, reallly nice bathrooms with lavender soap, internet, comfy chairs, shiny hardwood floors, a fountain, and now I'm travel-spoiled forever. And ever.

The only thing missing is a little air conditioning.

So now I have to get rich so I can travel like this all the time.

My flight leaves in a little over an hour. Am melting with excitement.

Leaving Today!!

Yay I leave tonight for London! I am meeting up with the fabulous SOULBRUSH tomorrow afternoon!

Monday I took as a vacation day, and then it's work work work for the rest of the week. But Tues night my manager organized for everyone to go on the Jack the Ripper walking tour, which sounds very fun.

London is an OLD city!!! I mean seriously OLD. Here in the US we think old is over 100 years. We don't have old places like they do over in Europe.

I like old places.

:)

How I Was Saved from Being a Porn Star

I needed some new luggage for my upcoming trip to London. My friend's daughter (we'll call her D) has been visiting from South Africa for the past couple of weeks, and we went shopping.

D knows a thing or two about international travel, so I enlisted her help in finding a decent suitcase. Her strongest advice was not to get black (bummer) and get something that is easy to spot at a distance.

I saw this one and went straight over to it:



Sure it's tacky but it's easy to spot, right? AND it matches my bathroom (which is NOT tacky, I assure you).

But then D said I'd look like a porn star with that suitcase, so of course I could never look at it the same way again, much less get it. I got a very nice dark grey luggage set instead.

And that, my friends, is how I got saved from being a porn star.

*******
D is a hairdresser by profession, and a very good one. She did Daya's hair. Isn't this amazing? I know what iron and heat protector to get, so now and then I'll also iron Daya's hair. I love it and so does she. The best part: Daya says she looks like me, and she loves it. That alone is worth the (expensive!) price of the iron.






Cat Update:
This is why cats don't like to get wet: they know how awful they look.

Quick-Quick

1. London: I am not there yet. I'm going from the 18th to the 24th. Booked the flight today. Since I am taking the red-eye flight Saturday night, I get to go business class! YEAH! The best part of the trip will, of course, be meeting SOULBRUSH. I don't mean to brag or anything, but meeting Soulbrush is worthy of jealousy.

2. Daya still loves school and is doing very well.

3. I have decided to start the Abs Diet! Am very excited. Now, I don't really need to lose weight as I'm still a size 4 but I'd like to tone a little and get into a healthier dietary lifestyle. I have never ever offcially dieted before. And probably I should eat more meals- I do tend to skip a lot, which is bad.

4. Art, or lack thereof: *sigh*

5. Daya had her first emergency (sort-of) medical experience. She stuck a green plastic heart shaped bead up her nose. One of the ladies at the school saw it when Daya was laying on her back. It was the kind of thing you would never see unless you were at exactly the right angle with light. We think the bead was from another girl's jewelry or hair ornament. I have no idea how long it was up there. She's fine and sufficiently traumatized to know never to stick anything in her nose or ears.

6. Latest unpleasant thing I've had to do: bathe my cat. She was really stinky. The stench has not returned, so we are both relieved.

7. You know the saying there's nothing new under the sun? I might have possibly challenged that. I cut my finger on spaghetti sauce. Not on the jar, on the actual sauce. I was reheating leftovers and some sauce had dried on the rim of the jar. But it's still a little embarassing to cut your finger on spaghetti sauce.

I sincerely hope you are well, and I apologize for not checking anyone's blog recently. Usually I do that at work, but I've been swamped. Imagine, having to work at work. Boo.

LONDON

I AM GOING TO LONDON for work on Apr 5th!!!!!

AM SO EXCITED!!!

Hiatus

Oh, another Cactus Monday missed.
I have definitely not been focused on blogging lately...neither posting nor keeping up with my most favourite blogs (like yours).

I am going on a short blogging hiatus until mid-April or so. But I will be back, hopefully with paint smudges.

:)

Cactus Monday

Happy Cactus Monday!
The Ferocactus Faerie was feeling neglected.

She's still not finished.


Also, I want to give a special thanks to Laurel at Studio Lolo for the WONDERFUL ATC card!! The envelope is AMAZING! What a nice suprise to find in my mailbox!!!!

Thank you so much!!!

Daya has been drawing. I tried to get her to draw a cactus but she wouldn't.
She drew a dinosaur (I think?). This is my most favorite:


And this too.

Almost Tuesday

Well, I really blew it for Cactus Monday this week. Didn't even get an Invisible Cactus posted.

I must blame the time change, which really messes me up. Why do we have to switch the clocks twice a year? It makes me feel all cobwebby. Also, I spent the night with a friend in crisis Saturday night. I didn't sleep much- Harlem is much noisier at night than my neighborhood. But I am glad I could be there for my friend. That makes me feel good.

But I was really tired on Sunday. And I brought work home. There was just nothing left for Cactus Monday- no time, no energy.

And today I spent all day at work filling my poor brain with more Action Script. Animating, to be specific. So maybe next week's cactus will be something to look forward to...

...if I can get my act together!

PS Daya still loves school and all her pooping issues disappeared. (I knew they would with a better diet!!) I was very tired of dealing with that.

Preschool etc.

Firstly, thanks for all the nice comments on my Flash Cactus! I made it in Flash...and though it's really basic it was a lot of fun and I'll have to do more.

Daya LOVES school. On her first day she ran into the school without even saying goodbye. Well, she did come back 5 minutes later to tell me where she was...not the other wawy around LOL... but she loves it there and everything is fine.

We got a nice snowstorm Sun night, and had to walk to the school in about 7 inches of snow!

Here is Daya on her first day:



Also, can you guess what this thing is?


Did you guess a kitty cat? Sigynn says Meow!

Cactus Monday: Flash Cactus!

Happy Cactus Monday Cactuteers! Daya starts school today...I think she's more ready than I am! Will let you know how it went.

Here is a little Flash Cactus for your enjoyment. :)
You'll need Flash Player 9 or higher.

Cactus Monday

It's time for the Ferocactus Faerie to join the ranks of color.

She's barely started, but that's better than not started at all!

Happy Cactus Monday!

Friday Night at the Met

Last night I had a child-free evening, so I went up to the Met after work. I am always a little incredulous of the changes that have happened there. Sign of the times I guess. The crazy bag check is one of them. Last night I needed a special pass and security check to bring in my laptop: a far cry from the days when I brought my pet rat Sylvia and left her in coat check.

I started in Greece. The museum is so pretty at night with the lights.



Here is Aphrodite.




Here are some paintings I LOVE and like to visit:
Georges de la Tour: The Penitant Magdalene



Emmanuel de Witte: Interior of the Old Church in Delft



There is a special exhibit in the medieval sculpture hall called something like Choirs of Angels. The room is full of illuminated songbook sheets. They are lovely.





Check out this detail!



I want this book!



I don't know if I have mentioned it before, but I deeply love medieval illuminated manuscripts. Which brings me to....

With my generous (it is for me!) 45 cent admission, I got a coupon for $10 off any $25 purchase. Uh-oh. If it was $5 off I might have been able to resist spending money I should not. But...$10 off!

I got a book. Like I really need another book. Like I really need another book with illuminated manuscript plates. Like I really need another medieval herbal. But...IT's SO PRETTY!!! Someone please tell me you would have done the same thing.








For Teri C:

Cactus Monday

Happy Cactus Monday!
Here is a little card for today:
Gouache on Canson Acrylic Paper
5 1/2 x 3 1/2



Also, special thanks to wonderful Soulbrush for sending such a lovely tea towel! I've decided to hang it in Daya's room since she's half South African. She calls it her Picture-Towel. She loves it.

Thanks so much!!

Daya says hello to everyone.

Today Is Wednesday

I have another sinus infection. Stupid stupid sinus infection. This one isn't from Hell though- it just hurts a lot and is very annoying. At least I am (mostly) functional and don't have a fever and am not at Death's Door like last time.

My neti pot is my BFF. Did you know that using COLD water in the neti pot instead of warm feels even better? It gets the gunk out and takes all the pain and pressure away. If you have sinus issues try it.

And friends, here is my Wednesday Lament:

Over the weekend I picked up some wonderful, fresh, thinly sliced Meunster cheese from the deli, and a box of Wheat Thins to go with it. And I cannot enjoy either one. Why not?

I went off all dairy due to the stupid sinus infection, so cheese is off the menu.
As for the Wheat Thins...well, Daya stole them. The whole box. I looked and looked and can't find them. It's been 2 days.

:(