Some recent paintings. This year I have been busy with things, I feel good about that, a little bit pacier than last year or 2015. I have actually spoken to a gallery owner in the past few days. I’m not in a rush, but I might send her some images of paintings to look at, and maybe some of my photographs from the beach idk. I thought it would be nice to show them. I am also mulling over the idea of contacting local editors about my photography. I would love to be asked to do something, or to see something i have already done sell. Last summer I printed an edition of 20 of a floral photograph I did, because I thought it would have local appeal. My idea was to take it to stores that do art and framing. I thought of postcards or giftwrap. But that all will involve some initial investment and although I will still pursue it, I’m thinking right now of the editorial idea. I understand it to be a matter of putting up some photographs somewhere and inviting editors to look. So i have it down on my list, and anything on my list gets done so sometime I will do this. I haven’t felt so well in like decades, and I’m really excited to try these ideas because if nothing else, it is contact with the outside world. I like where I live and it would be nice to start meeting people. I remember before I moved to London being in a situation where people knew each other and things could happen. So I want to see what I can do. I have in mind the idea to try and make some extra money while I am thinking well and feeling well. It counts as work and I may be able to keep the extra money if it’s not much. This is good because I do save and I like to be able to invest in myself and my surroundings. I would like to be more integral to my community.

Several years ago I wrote down some ideas for films I could make and one of them was a handheld shot of the ocean. I finally had planned to do this film last October, but Hurricane Matthew happened and the roads were out. I did get to go on Wednesday though. There were a couple of detours still from the storm, but I had a really nice time trying my camera out. I have some moving pictures, it’s just that I could not see the LCD screen while shooting and it is not possible to use the viewfinder in video mode. So I thought I would get a tripod and something dark to drape over my head and the camera. I got a tripod yesterday, and I will go back sometime soon. I’m hoping I can ditch the tripod for filming if I can get the drape to work properly – tape it or something…

Window shopping at the local beauty supply. I thought the skin tone on this head was really beautiful, and the eyeshadow was well done. It reminded me of trips I took to tokyo. I was dying my hair black then and I bought some hair there to play with. People thought it was real! One nice Mexican lady asked me about my hairstyle, which included black feathers, and she said so nicely to me that I had “combed it nice.” 🙂

Decorations at Maxway, next to the beauty supply.

I have decided that “Love” is the overriding theme of my resolutions for next year. This is at the beauty supply store.

More reminders of Japan tonight, at Maxway, next to the beauty supply store.

Stepping out at the beauty supply tonight. I thought the silver was a nice touch.

I found this candle among my Grandmother’s things. The shell is from family friends, a gift. 

Harmonic resonance at TJ Maxx. 

My surfboard has been waiting for me for years. Maybe 2017… I’m hoping for that. 

I found a draft from a couple of months ago and decided to publish it. 

Le Shampooing

I found this at the Korean market this morning and it really cheered me up. I feel sure I will be back to my old form with some of this! I did some paintings a couple of weeks ago on the theme of doors. Here’s a picture of them…

There has been a lot of movement in my life since my last post. I am still going to the gym I joined in October, and actually, today was a good day. I have found the amount of weights I can handle and I could really feel a difference in my coordination on the pectoral fly, which meant that I did ok with my plank position set. I can feel progress.

I have been paying attention to food because of my efforts toward better health generally. I roasted some vegetables with fresh thyme. I really enjoyed doing it, and I learned a bit about what I can do. I am also quite happy because I saw that they are selling chopped butternut squash in a bag at the store. This is an unbelievable gift, lol, especially if you need a good chef knife like I don’t have. 

My Dad moved my Grandparents’ stuff into our house after we lost them to old age. They had ordered this knife set off the television. They work ok on a cucumber, but they bend wildly on anything like a carrot or a parsnip or a sweet potato. Still, I was really glad to get them out. After my Mexican, Italian, Japanese vegetable adventure, I thought I could work at a Mexican restaurant at the beach someday. Amazon has some beautiful chef knives by the way… According to my friend in Vancouver, you want forged, not stamped, and you want it to be one piece.

I am really looking forward to the holidays, though I should say every day is a bit like a holiday for me and I’m really thankful for that. These are the wreaths at The Fresh Market. I will get our wreath out tomorrow, we have a choice of three fake ones. And, one of my favorite rituals, something lovely to drink, warm, and writing Christmas cards. I am studying French and I love it, and they have some French ones at our Barnes and Noble, sparkly ones. I have some cards left from last year, but I like to have something different every year, those are for if I run out of cards, emergency ones. Happy Holidays!

Pictures from my therapy’s office today, election day. I had some catching up to do in therapy today. It was kind of a drag, but I did it anyway, I brought my therapist up to date on the history of my mom in brief, and the feelings I have because of it. I was kind of wanting to skip it and have a more presently so what’s going on light and lively talk, just to get that mental dialogue – or is it a monologue – out of my head. I’m very happy these days and I prefer talking about all of that, rather than diving back into storms. I thought however if I brought it up, that maybe I wouldn’t have to bring it up again in life. 

I have quit smoking, joined a gym, and started French lessons. I’m very happy with all of this. In the new year I will take a short evening class – or a day workshop, I can’t decide – on digital photography technical information, how to handle a camera. I am so desperate to learn and it’s great that the local community college is offering these classes.

Because of these new activities in my life, I see more is possible. That, beyond being mentally ill, is the hope, or at least the idea, of wellness, wellbeing, remission… I was able to arrange a standing appointment today with my therapist because I want to have an appointment every week, to keep myself in shape generally with this new life idea, the idea that there is life, as opposed to just existing.

 

 

Thinking of my ocean film