Grandma

Before my dad was born, my grandparents lived in Pocatello. My grandma packed up her three kids and boarded a train to visit California. From what I understand, she had never left Idaho before. I think she was pretty brave.
I grew up with my grandma living only a few blocks away from our house. She sat two rows behind us in church and sang the hymns with gusto...extremely off key. Her nylons would rub together when she'd walk down the hall. When we went over to her house, we would play dominoes and chinese checkers, eat runny eggs, powdered milk and kool-aid. Sometimes she'd give us a little spoonful of brown sugar before she put it on her oatmeal. When we would spend the night, I'd get up early and climb in bed with her-only to be kicked out because I was too squirmy.
I have a lot of memories of my grandma...but I honestly don't know a whole lot about her.
This weekend, we're visiting with family and it's been SO much fun. I've laughed so hard my gut hurts. We've also been going through a bunch of old photos and my dad and all my aunts have been sharing story after story-all of which are new to me. I love family reunions. And I love hearing stories about my grandparents.

News and Thoughts and Stuff

It is a common misconception that the artists imagination is always producing work--constantly inventing and creating new pieces of art or filling page after page in sketchbooks. While I, as an artist, have sketchbooks filled with ideas and unfinished drawings--I am not constantly producing art as some may think.
Unfortunately.
I would like to be.
But I'm not.
I hit creative "walls" and sometimes nothing I try works out. For this reason, I don't like taking commissioned work. Some may call this a lack of confidence--I just call it being selfish. In a good way that few understand. I create for me, even though I share with others.
However, I'm also a people pleaser and sometimes have a hard time saying No. So I've taken on three commissioned works all of which I'm having a hard time completing because I've hit a "wall".
I'll get them done. And I won't give them over until I'm satisfied with the work...but they just loom over me. I'm procrastinating working on one right now by writing about how I don't want to work on it.

In other news, which I'll keep short and sweet in this nice list:

-I'm not moving for another couple of months.
-I sliced my foot open a month ago, received nine stitches and am 'lovingly' referred to as Frankenfoot.
-I'm re finishing a couple of really cool chairs. I was going to sell them but I think I'll just keep them because they're that cool.
-I got a ticket crossing the bay bridge because the ticket lady didn't enter in that I paid the toll before I crossed through. I'm ticked.
-I had a birthday and got new glasses. Two unrelated events.
-I received a slight raise at work.
-And I've taught myself to burp on command. (Probably not something I should be sharing but I've always wanted to be able to know how to command my own burps. I'm both proud and disgusted with myself.)

I don't have any photos to share. A disappointment, I know. Oh, maybe not for any readers-but for me, whenever I look back through this blog. I'll be so bored without anything to look at.