and so to the end

of our time in Florida. Last night was my last drawing class (there's one more for everyone else) and time to review "focus on ..." and "next, think of ..." with the instructor. The in-class exercise was wicked complex -- two dancing skeletons amid a mass of bottles and glasses. (we studenst lamented that the bottles were empty.) I had to resort to just tackling parts of the composition of and making my drawing very small. But that was a breakthrough of sorts -- a composition isn't necessarily the whole scene.

Now my sketch-book/journal is up-to-date; I'm taking a few tools north with me, and the rest are packed away.

I've completed my other academic work according to plan, the "New Perspectives in Design Management" book is published (finally), I've started my proceedings editing task for EAM-I, and I have an interesting summer conference schedule ahead.

Already I've forgotten the angst of the kitcehn remodel - probably because everything is functioning perfectly. Even the chili apron is at home in its new spot.

Judging from all the comments I've received on my "blues" Facebook posting, most readers know I am mostly packed. Now to return the internet box and head north first thing tomorrow mornng ... looking forward to seeing friends along the way and back in Connecticut.

Not sure when I will next post.

Local sights

Took time out from packing and cleaning to walk up to Point o'Rocks. The Mansion must be finished, although there are still contractors signs and trucks outside (it has been in process for at least 4 years). Note the green "grass" between the paving -- it never needs cutting!

The beach was as busy as I have ever seen it -- it's very hot. I'm almost glad to be going north.

Temperature update

We walked to the public beach this morning before the sun was too hot in search of an April data point for the Gulf water temperature. But no one was there! No chalk board with vital statistics for all to see.The lifeguard station looked as lonely as I'm starting to feel.

(It was 9:45 AM and the guards arrive at 10)

Excitement

I've been bitten by a FIRE ant! The creature looks like a regular ant but the bite is ugly -- and I have a ring of them around my ankle. I must have got them when I walked through the grass on the way back from the beach yesterday. I noticed red bumps with puss centers round my ankle during the evening, and by today there were itching furiously. Time to Google to discover the cause - and remedies -- such as Worcestshire sauce. I settled for a good soap and water scrub followed by cortisone cream. They look and feel better this evening.

Such mladies haven't disturbed my producitivity. The Nordes position paper on designer idenities is ready for its final read before sending, and I've made good headway on techniques for "working in the gutter" in my graphic novel. My "book room" is tidy and ready to ship north -- although perhaps not as great an accomplishment as Jack's "deep cleaning" regimen. I'd better not let my drawing class hear about that - when I showed "gesture studies" of Jack loading the dishwasher other class members were flabergasted that my husband 'did dishes"!

Poor nomad behaviors and other frustrations

Today did not go well at all. For one thing I checked on the "stuff" that needs to go north with me at the end of this week - what a terrible nomad I am! Why do I cart so much around with me? I must do better next time!

I had a great idea for how to improve my use of "gutters" in my graphic novel after a colleague chided me for not taking them into account. But I couldn't make it work -- then I remembered the sensation was just like starting my "art comic" process. In that case I thought I would never be able to do it - but finally I learned how to do it to a satisfactory point. ... And stayed there without pushing myself any further. So thank you for the critique, MJ, ... assuming that one day I will be able to deal with the situation appropriately.

Not even my drawing proatuce went according to plan. I purchased some ink and a brush to work in a more "free-flowing" way, but I couldn't get the consistency of the ink right, or maybe the brush was too stiff, or maybe the folds I was trying to draw were too"foldy", or ...

And it's only Monday.

Preparations are underway

For my drawing class restrospective. How have I learned? What have I learned? What have I achieved? I'll take you on a guided tour of teh exhibit once it is hung in the gallery (of our condominium).

Stranger and stranger

Maybe because it's all fools day I seems to be immersed in strange happenings. For one, I finally remembered to search online for the name of a tree with bright yellow flowers that blossom before the leaves appear. It's called a Silver Trumpet Tree -- I get the trumpet part --but silver?

You'll never guess what I am doing looking through a peep-hole in this

photo -- NO! it's not what you might think I'm looking at! I'm at the latest exhibition, Voyeur, of the S-aRt-Q artist's group where my drawing instructor is a member. This year each artist had an "installation" viewed through a peep-hole. The whole exhibit was in a garage-space and consisted of a wall with about eight peepholes- one for each artist's work. One appeared to be goldfish swimming, another was a white line that grew and faded, and my instructor had a 60 second video made from 3000 still photos. Strange.

Perhaps not so strange has been finally settling down to work on the bibliography for my graphic novel. I'm being very disicplined and making sure that entries (with abstracts and URL links) are all in Endnote. Maybe it just feels strange to do this sort of "drudge-work."