Things that can't easily be explained, Pt. 2

Last year around this time, I wrote an entry entitled "Things that can't easily be explained". My friend Lydia had died unexpectedly in her sleep on January 29, and a few days later I received a letter from her which she'd written just days before she died. Lydia was an incredibly gifted artist, and she had recently learned of my own artistic endeavors. In her letter she wrote something like, Are you sure that with your artistic talent that you are in the right profession?

Flash forward to 2010:  Two weeks ago I was in Austria saying goodbye to my friends, among them my friend Brigitte who had encouraged my artistic endeavors with art supplies and a painting course. Brigitte herself learned only four years ago that she had awe-inspiring artistic talent. A few days after I said goodbye, Brigitte too died unexpectedly in the night.

Both of these women were a source of love and inspiration to so many people who all gathered this week to remember and celebrate their lives.

I don't know if I'm in the right profession, and I certainly don't know that I will ever have the artistic talents that Brigitte and Lydia had. I do know that I will probably get the chance to reevaluate my career path, because LSU in its infinite wisdom has decided to pink-slip all instructors effective January 2011.

So in addition to updating my resume and seeing if there's a paper or two I can send out for publication, in addition to preparing for my four (count 'em FOUR) Latin classes, I'll be scheduling some creative time this weekend.  Because you never know what the future holds...

P.S.  When I posted this to my Facebook page, the security words were "revalue" and "power".  Life is spooky sometimes!

Inspiration

Last year for my birthday, my friends surprised me with a party and some unexpected gifts.  Most unexpected was a backpack full of art supplies including a gift certificate for a weekend painting course from my friend Brigitte.

The attached photos are the things I created during the painting course.  Note that most of them are drawings.  My teacher, Manfred Lecher, wanted me to show him what I could and could not do before I started painting.  I did a decent pitcher and pinecones (the alarm clock is a little Daliesque, but it demonstrates attention to detail).


When I painted the bottles, however, Manfred said I "wasn't ready" and "used too much water." (I was so proud of them, too! Especially the colors!)


So it was back to drawing with colored pencils, which may (or may not) be my medium. I drew the bottles again. And again. Different shading, different treatments, different techniques.

Then I graduated to apples.

When I proved that I could draw apples and color them correctly, during the last couple of hours that weekend, I was allowed to pick up a paintbrush again. I think they turned out pretty well (for someone who found out 30 years later that she had "artistic talent that should be fostered" in pre-school).

More on Brigitte, inspiration, and coincidences next time!

Joey's Jetlag Breakfast

I arrived home from Europe on Sunday, and the semester began on Tuesday.  This is my recipe for getting over jetlag!

Make your favorite coffee, and make it STRONG.  Pour it in a cup and add milk or cream to taste.  Slowly sip while you prepare the rest of the breakfast.

In a bowl, combine:
1 envelope instant oatmeal
about 20 raisins
2 dates, pitted and sliced into thin rounds
1 1/2 teaspoons brown sugar
a sprinkling of ground cinnamon
a teaspoon of butter
a pinch of salt

Add 1/2 cup boiling water and stir until blended.  Let set two minutes.  It's going to be icky-thick when you stir it and that's when you add the secret ingredient:  a generous splash of your coffee and cream!

Mmmm....caffeinated oatmeal.  Good for your energy.  Good for your digestion.  Good for your heart!!

Moon Tide Press Poet of the Month

My friend, Bryn!  Read her poems here http://www.moontidepress.com/poet_of_the_month.html.