"I hug myself till my arms turn blue, then I close my eyes and cry and cry till the tears come down and I can taste them. I love to taste my tears. I am special. I am special! Please god, please, don't let me be normal!" -- "The Fantasticks"
I always thought that was the best line -- and it so fit me. Now I just want normal again.
Sketchbook Revival has really pushed me to try new techniques and practice drawing and sketching as well as painting. So here we have the good, the bad and the ugly!
I remember when I was working and how hectic spring used to be. I sometimes wonder how I managed to have much of a life while I still had a job. Oh wait, maybe I didn't manage all that well!
It seems as though my calendar has been more or less empty for so many months, I don't know what to do when something fills it up. I took a quick glance at an upcoming week. The doc. The dentist. Going with Rick to a retirement planning seminar. A birthday gathering for a dear friend turning 70.
My friend Wally died last week. You've seen his work -- the beautiful images of Paris that hang above my mantel are by Wally. And my personal collection holds many favorites from this well-loved and respected photographer who focused on European images.
And, as you might expect, it takes a chunk out of a person to know there will be no more lunches, photo shoots, good talks about photography or travel with someone you just plain like and have known for a very long time.
And, it should be noted, the Father Goose is right at hand, ready to spit or advance on anyone that might be a threat!
Let's just say that after a March with a lot of reading, April was a let down! I guess all that reading time in March was disrupted in April by a lot of painting, which was probably a better thing overall!
A couple of weeks ago, Rick and his musical partner Josh were playing an open mic night in Lansing's Old Town. I wanted to see them perform but after five minutes in an overcrowded room with bad ventilation and practically no one but me in a mask I said, "I'll walk around a bit and try to come back when you think you might be playing" (about an hour later). (You can here it too, at the bottom of this post!)
So, I took a stroll around Old Town, one of my favorite shopping areas. Unfortunately, everything was closed except for one (very lovely) gallery -- the excellent "Absolute Gallery."
