A bunch of stuff including a big dose of gratitude

A caveat: Blogger was not cooperating last night when I tried to post this. Apparently my paintings had too many pixels and they refused to load. Or something. Seriously, I wasn't going to let two days go by without posting. However, I have already found the thing that made me happy today (see way down below) so we get three days in one!

OK, so I'm not writing everyday. Sometimes having a good day means not stopping it to blog about it. I will say that this week has been a very good one. It has flown by (not necessarily a good thing, I guess), my considerable carnal needs have been met in various ways (always an indicator of a good week), I got some painting done today and I am this many days closer to hearing about my Naughti Gras submission.

Also on tap today was creating my version of the Bacon Explosion, a pork-centric roll of bacon and sausage also known as a sausage fatty. The process is as follows:

















So yeah, bacon wrapped in sausage, wrapped in bacon. It was pretty damn good and really didn't seem all that fatty.

This evening I painted a little with acrylics rather than watercolors. It was an interesting experiment and I'd definitely like to do more and see what happens.

First I explored my lonely building theme, which started with the idea of the yellow sun and the swirly blue sky around it. It seems clear to me that I am heavily influenced by, yet again, mid-century modern and the illustration styles from that period (though I don't suppose that that is the official art term for it, it is from that time frame). I'm too lazy to do it now (and this post is going to be big enough I'm sure), but I will soon look for some examples from among my children's books that exemplify what I mean.


Then I decided to do one of the skinny cats. Working with acrylics is so different and I was painting on paper which doesn't necessarily do it justice. I think I'm still figuring out which brushes to use as well. It makes a big difference.


I love hearts. I don't know why except that I like the curves and the shape and I, of course, love what they symbolise.




Last night was the third episode of the last season of Battlestar Galactica and it was the best yet. Overwhelming, shocking, completely frakking amazing. It had me shouting at the TV -- pleading, cursing, encouraging. But that is all I'll say so as not to be a spoiler for anyone.

This morning I woke and turned the radio on to Weekend Edition Saturday on NPR as I always do. I was happy to catch a fabulous interview with Liza Minnelli about her new Broadway show. Liza was maligned by that unfortunate reality show with the hideous man she married and that took the focus away from the fact that she's a gifted singer and performer. Though it probably didn't help with a mainstream audience, her stint on the late, great "Arrested Development" reminded a lot of people of her comedic gifts and her fortitude as a celebrity who has had her share of misfortune. This interview was funny and moving and the song snippets were just great (the interview won't be posted on the NPR site until after noon EST today). Oh, and her cameo on Saturday Night Live a couple weeks ago, in a Penelope sketch, was delightfully daffy and adorable. I love Liza Minnelli!