Things to remember....

It's not a good idea to start celebrating at 3pm on New Year's Eve.... don't call your relatives when you're a bit tipsy and don't make peanut brittle when you've had two beers. Everything's alright but there could have been a disaster!

Four hours until I leave for my New Years Eve party.... hopefully I'll sober up before it starts!

Stinky sure is cute. So am I!

Do you need any more proof?

Tonight I am actually going to stay up until midnight and celebrate the new year with my friends here in Chicago. It will be my opportunity to get rid of all the bad food I brought back to Chicago with me; Tim's Cascade potato chips, applets and cotletts... good thing I didn't find any Mountain Bars...

Semi-Sweet Home Chicago.

I'm back in the windy city. My flight went well and I am happy to report the the four leftover bottles of Alaskan Amber I packed in my suitcase survived the trip. Before I got on the plane I decided to pick up some fish and chips at Anthony's Fish Bar. It was really good... it sure beats the five dollar sandwich they try to sell you on the plane.

One of the things I do like about Chicago is that I don't feel cold all the time. I think I could walk around in my bare feet and still feel toasty!

Parting is such sweet sorrow.

I'm leaving on a jet plane, don't know when I'll be back again... well that's not true. I'll be back the end of May or the beginning of June.

Overall, good trip. I saw friends and did things I wanted to do... had fun - worked on art stuff. Made contacts.

I'll post again tonight from Chicago - over and out.

I heart my new iPod.

Today I broke down and bought a new video iPod. It's sleek and black and 30 gigabytes! It holds all my songs - even my Celine Dion and Yanni (oops - I probably shouldn't mention those artists...). The only drawback is that my version of iPhoto doesn't work on it so I will most likely have to purchase iLife in order to have pictures of my work on my iPod.

Tonight is my last night in Seattle until sometime in June. I'm drinking my Alaskan Amber because I can and it's good and I can't buy it in Chicago. I might even get drunk.... my only plans are to go to WW tomorrow morning, then pack and head to the airport... they sell Alaskan Amber on the plane... I might fork over five bucks for a beer on the plane!!!

If I could afford it I would buy a movie on iTunes, download it and then watch it on my iPod on the plane! Too bad I'm poor and too ashamed to watch risque movies on an airplane...

Time is Running Out.

I head back to Chicago tomorrow and I still haven't seen everyone I should have. Oh well, I guess if things go as planned I'll be back soon enough.

Yesterday I went downtown to look at some of the galleries, the unfortunate thing is that most of them are closed for vacation. However, I did go to Howard House and saw Dan Webb's latest show. I like his work a lot - the craftsmanship is great.

I also had lunch with Matt and Andrew yesterday - here's proof. I must admit I had a good time hanging out with them. We laughed a lot and talked about things that I can't repeat here (children read this blog).



Overall this has been a good trip. I heart Seattle.

Lunch lunch lunch...

This is a self portrait that I took with Bryan yesterday. You may recognize him from It Hurts to Be Horizontal. He is one of my friends who doesn't mind having his picture posted.

Today I'm going to check out some of the galleries downtown and then have lunch with Matt and Andrew. This morning I have to work on my application for a show. I better get a move on.

Lunch is good.

Today I had lunch with some of my friends from the old place of employment. It was really nice seeing them.... I like my new friends in Chicago but sometimes you just need to catch up with the ones you know will be around forever.

Tonight I am going to see my first ceramics instructor Sam. We're going to talk about life after school and such. I better get going... I have to leave in 15 minutes.

Unprepared.

I realized this morning that I am leaving for Florence in a week and I have no idea what I'm doing - What am I going to pack? How many hair styling products do I take? How do I say "beer" in Italian? (okay, I know how to do that one - it's birra).

I suppose I should just get off my ass and do some planning.

My belly is expanding.

I have eaten far too much this past week... I could list everything but you wouldn't believe it. I have to get myself to a meeting...

I don't regret anything that I have eaten, but I just need to get back on track. I'm going to see my buddy Phil this morning (he's my Seattle WW leader).

Today I'm going to have lunch with my father and then who knows what after that. For Christmas I received a Target gift card... I could buy some things for my Florence trip. I am totally unprepared for the trip but that's alright, I'll figure it out.

In looking at this post I realize that I have become a bore.... I'll try to do something interesting so I can dazzle all of you out there.

My dog is a genius.

Who knew dogs could do Christmas shopping? Tucker bought me Yahtzee for Christmas. I like games!

Merry Christmas, may you all get what you want.

Ho Ho Ho, Merry Freaking Christmas.

Contrary to how the title of this post sounds I'm having a good vacation so far. Tomorrow (okay 20 minutes from now) it will be Christmas and I can say for the first time in a long time I am not depressed about things.

Here's just a run down on things I will have to write about later.

Leather Pants
Google Earth
Babies
Tamales

Oh and then there's cookies.

Have a safe and happy holiday!

I heart cable television!

I miss it dearly too... I've just spent the last few hours watching the Real World Denver. Poor kids.

TGIF

So it's finally Friday. Today is the first day I've been able to watch the Today show... not that I'm actually watching it right now, but it's on. I'll have to see what Anne Curry is wearing!

Movie Review...

Okay, so this isn't a review, but I did see Little Miss Sunshine last night. I give it a thumbs up. It was funny and sweet (like me!).

It reminded me why I like to see movies.

Today I don't have much on the schedule, I may wrap some Christmas gifts and see what my father is doing for lunch.

I will try to take some photos and post them... I took a few of Stinky - she's looking good.

Between a tap dancing penguin and the Fresh Prince...

I'm supposed to go see a movie tonight and I can't decide if I want to see Happy Feet or the Pursuit of Happyness. They both have happy in the title... Penguins or fresh prince... One thing I know for sure is that I'll have to take a nap this afternoon.

I am happy to report that my chiropractic adjustment went very well. My body made sounds it hasn't made in a long time. I'm still a bit sore but it should clear up in a few days, with the help of some advil.

This morning I'm getting an overhaul (holiday grooming extravaganza)... maybe I should bleach my hair blond - try to hide the gray a bit.... If I'm stunning I'll post a photo.

I heart children...

sort of... if I ever decide to have children try to talk me out of it.

The Birds are Singing... all is good.

Why you might ask??? because I have a date with the chiropractor today! This is my first time seeing him since I moved to Chicago! Back in April I tripped over my laptop cord and fell on my hip. Things have not been the same since then. I am looking forward to some relief... then maybe I might even attempt to go running!

Okay, who am I kidding??? I will probably not go running - but I COULD if I wanted to.

Leo (my nephew) is sick... he has a cold. Hopefully everyone in the house won't get it. Just what we want for Christmas - phlem.

Katie the ham.

No - I'm not saying that she's a pig... but rather she likes to pose for the camera.

This shot was taken yesterday at Grandpa Bill's birthday party.

Sleeping in!

I have done all things required of me this weekend.

Tomorrow I am sleeping in. On the schedule next week is mall walking, a date with my chiropractor and going to see a movie with a friend. Now if I could just find a nice boy... okay - I really don't need a boy... but it would be nice to have one around once in a while.

Yesterday at Safeway (that's Dominick's in Chicago for you all) I bought a case of my favorite beer in the entire world - Alaskan Amber!!!! I've had two tonight. hmmmm. I heart Alaskan Amber.

Today Katie was dedicated at church and then we had a party for Dad's 80'th Birthday.... God I feel old.

It's only ten to eight Seattle time but I am sure tired.

Type at you all later.

Max at his finest!

Here is a picture of Max taken just a few minutes ago!

I'm not dead....

just a lot going on. I am happy to report that I made it to Seattle with a short stop in Spokane for refueling. Birthday party for Max today - (maybe I really don't want to have kids???)... soon I will be heading off to watch children and wash dishes for a wedding... tonight I'm going to sleep.

Stinky is very skinny... she's lost a dress size! we slept together last night... she's a good heater.

I'll post picture of her soon.

The Party's Over!

I am done, as predicted I am a bit of an over achiever.... here are some pictures of my model. My new boyfriend's name is Bryce. I found him in the 3-d warehouse in Sketchup.

I'm gassy so I better go.

Light at the end of the tunnel?

Okay, so I have to give my presentation this afternoon. I think I have maybe overdone it, but I could be wrong.... I'm just about to the point where I don't really care anymore.

I have been so busy I won't even have a chance to do laundry before my trip tomorrow... I guess I'll just pack all my dirty clothes and wash them when I get to Seattle.

I better get back to work.

Blah, blah, blah...

I'm not sure if I mean blah as in yada yada yada or as in malaise. I'm up again early... I spent most of the day yesterday working on my plans and model - I'll be doing the same today.

The s key on my laptop seems to be sticking. I might have to drop kick it into the dumpster...

Okay, I better go.

Could there be a worse photograph???

Than THIS?

The Countdown.

I keep working and working and I can't seem to get ahead... I guess I'll just keep plugging along until I'm finished. I'm prepared to work late into the night if necessary (10pm!)....

Martha is making a sweet and salty chocolate cake right now.. I may have to try it. Mmmmm cake.

Sorry - not much time to blog today...

I'll get back to it in a few days. I've been swamped with my project but I promise I'll be back to my normal (what does that mean??) in a few days.

More work...

I'm back at the studio... The reading went well last night. The people who responded to my piece did an exquisite corpse type response... They took my text and added onto it and then they read each others responses... I thinks that how it went.

It was funny. I give it a thumbs up.

Now I'm working on my plans and model for my Exhibition Process class. It's coming along just fine. I have an urge to shop though and not work. Okay - I just got severely sidetracked... by working on the plans... good. I better go while I've still got the urge to work on it.

The countdown begins...

So... The opening went off fine. People liked my piece - I saw my friend Benjamin from Seattle and I got home at a reasonable hour.

I weighed in this morning and I was down 1.2 pounds from last month... I probably had less clothes on this morning when I did weigh in... I stripped down to my long underwear... Some days every ounce counts.

I've been in the studio all day - tonight is the reading. When it's over I am going to go home and hit the sack... I might even sleep in tomorrow (that means until 6:30 or so...).

Photos of my piece as installed.

Thanks to Karolina I have some pictures of my piece

Bad toenail day...

I took a bath tonight.. I noticed that my middle toenails are doing this weird splitting thing.... It's hard to explain, maybe I'll have to take some pictures.

I got everything set up for the show tomorrow, I think it looks pretty good... My momma would be proud with the slip cover I sewed for the table! I'll make someone a good wife - or maid.

Tonight I am going to sleep well - I even get to sleep in tomorrow. I have to work at 11:00 and then it's off to school.

UPS and Fedex suck! Add the USPS to that as well...

Okay, maybe It's just me but I have had the worst problems getting deliveries.... and I'm not saying that it's all the fault of these companies but here's the deal.

Earlier this summer my printer cartridges were lost by the Postal Service, last month my external hard drive was lost in Fedex purgatory and now UPS sends me a note saying that they've been trying to deliver a package to me but they'll send it back today because they've tried three times and I haven't been home.

Do you think I've received any messages saying they have something for me? NO. Do I have time to pick the thing up today? NO. Am I cranky? YES

coincidence???

My baby, my sister's baby....

They must have taken posing lessons from Tyra Banks.

This is the semester that never ends....

I'm still in the studio... working on some finishing touches for the show. I also have to get stuff done for my Exh. Process class. Today while we were installing the power went out. Hopefully everything will be up and running tomorrow.

I better go because I'm loopy.

errr....

I'm afraid the post critique brain drain is setting in. I don't know what to do...

I am happy to report that I did receive my new external hard drive today and it is backing up files as we speak (type?).

Did I mention that I get to be a TA for the study trip to Florence??? I get a break on my program fee - you know what this means don't you? More money for gelato! and cured meats of course.

Today I took my piece over to the gallery for the show. Tomorrow I'm going to set it up.... I'm having a heck of a time thinking of a title for it though... it's about loss, memories and funny things... musings from my life transcribed onto coffee filters...

Stick a fork in me...

I'm done... this is what the piece looked like. I may change the configuration of the table though... It's the first time I didn't feel like a deer in headlights.

I'll take better photos of the piece once it's installed in the show.

I think I'll sleep like a yule log tonight....





I got these pictures of miss Katie today.. I guess she's going to see Santa later on. I'm sure that will be interesting.

The waiting is the hardest part II

I'm sitting here in the critique space waiting for people to arrive for my critique. I'm not too nervous, but my stomach did just make a really big gurgling noise (actually it was my intestines). Hopefully I won't have too much trouble with it when the time comes to talk about my work.

I've taken some pictures and I will post them later... when I have more time.

I better go set up my coffee station - just like setting up conference rooms at Miller Nash!

You know you're old when...

You don't know who anyone in the cast of Saturday Night Live anymore.

I guess that's alright considering I have a hard time staying up to watch it anymore... sort of like tonight... I think once I get horizontal I we be down for the count.

I can sew!

Today I was authorized on the sewing machine! I can even get the bobbin thread to come up! Maybe I'll start sewing my own clothes!

Okay, maybe not.

Tonight Karolina is going to help me sew a slip cover for my piece for this show!

Miscellaneous things.

I don't have much time this morning... I will hopefully expand later... yesterday I bought new boots (Merrell's), had a studio visit with Cat Mazza - her work is pretty interesting... and went to openings of Deb Sokolow and Cat.

Have I told you how much I love Deb's work? (and I'm not just saying that because I know her...) Her show is at gallery 40000.

Today I am working and we have space claim for our show... Tonight I'm supposed to sew a slipcover for my piece... tomorrow I will have to get everything tied together for my critique on Monday morning.

Yesterday I also found out that I get to be a TA for my trip to Florence. I get a break on my program fee in exchange for the work... this is great... I can afford my gelato and cured meat habit.

Pinch

Today is the first day of the month, you know what that means? My family will be pinching and punching each other over the phone. I've explained it before... we have a saying ""pinch and a punch for the first of the month" where you have to pinch and punch each other.. whoever does it first wins. Since I'm in Chicago we do it over the phone.

It's snowing this morning and I have to get bundled up to walk to WW for the meeting. I doubt if there will be a big turn out... it's kind of nasty. At least I can get there on foot.

I better be off. More later.