Through Pen and Lens

I don’t know if it’s good or sad that I am dreaming of French translation exams. Taking them, passing one section but not the other. Retaking a section and as I hold it up to read it, almost instantly knowing how to translate it into anglais , a mystical light shining around the edges of the page but oddly enough, not through. Or how about the next bit of the dream: Looking through a live-action French catalogue named Talbot. Not the women’s clothing catalogue that is already out, but an antiques catalogue named after the seven-hundred plus year old vampire on True Blood . Why Talbot? He loves his antiques and talking about them. And I’m watching the DVDs of the show with French subtitles turned on. Actually, everything I watch for the next few days has to have français subtitles, or I can’t watch. That’s my rule. I get breaks from my studying (and reading for my actual courses), but I continue to study by reading the subtitles – two birds with one stone. I know there is no way I’m...

I am so very far behind. I have all kinds of things to get done including but not limited to creating a Comp I syllabus; creating a website for my art; posting photos of: Wesley's graduation, Daddy's birthday, my haircut (yeah, I got scalped, and I'm loving it); work on my numerous photo projects; save the Jim West Mansion; work on other art and writing... Classes begin Wednesday, and I haven't learned French yet (gonna take the test anyway). I'll think about it all tomorrow. I'm going to bed. Quote for the day: One of the greatest labor saving inventions of today is tomorrow. Vincent T. Foss

Photo by Morry Gash So, Wesley, Ashley and I (along with Ditto, Louis, and Oz) watched NASA TV (and CBS when NASA was too quiet) this morning as Atlantis left on its final mission. A little piece of history shared with the kiddies who are no longer kids. It's hard to believe 135 missions have been flown in the shuttle program. And in the 50 years of the space program, we've only had two major tragedies. Go USA! I feel for the people who will lose jobs because of the end of the shuttle program, but it is time for space "advancement." Perhaps now, forced to do so, we will come up with something even better. Here's to a prosperous journey and safe return. Quote for the day:  Are you still using fossil fuels, or have you discovered crystallic fusion? Buzz Lightyear

If this makes sense, congratulate me. I have been medicated since Friday, 27 May, when Dr. Brown did an arthroscopy on my left knee, the same knee I screwed up over 25 years ago. Damn, I’m getting old. Well, my body is, anyway. This time, I tore my meniscus, so nothing like the last time. Good drugs, though. I was trying to be a big girl today and not take anything. Fuck that. Pain started shooting through like somebody was stabbing me with one of those hand-held knife sharpeners; you know, the long, round, metal thing with a handle, bigger than an ice pick. So, another day of haze. Unfortunately, not quite purple. I was planning to write something profound here. Damned if I can remember what the hell it was. Wes is playing some game on the ps triple, and I lost focus. But here is a quote. Nothing to do with this post, though. Quote for the day: Some people cling to their prejudices like old, comfortable clothes that should have been thrown out long ago. Patricia Dixon

I have entirely too much work to do to be here. Yet, here I am. The semester is almost over. One new paper and two rewrites to do. That's it. So why can't I wrap my head around them, and get 'er done? Too much drama in my life? Always. Too many things on my plate? If you'd seen me lately, you wouldn't have to ask that question. Happy Cinco de Mayo! Maybe a beer or five... Quote for the day: Congress seems to favor a stable government, judging from the amount of stalling it does.

Infinity 146 and Toby Toby passed Tuesday morning. He is missed. So, last night, I’m working on my mac, trying to get rid of some of the junk files and send those that might be needed some day to an external drive for safe keeping (lol), when I notice the rain is getting louder, and the neighbor’s wind chime is ringing non-stop in my ears. Since I’m not hooked up for tele and I only check the weather online when I am going to be out in it, I had no idea a storm was coming. Excuse me, was here. So, I ignored it. It wasn’t long, maybe a few minutes (maybe an hour – I get lost in time on the mac) when I notice the sound of pea gravel being thrown by the handful at my patio door. Okay, so now I have to check it out. Ta-the-f-ing-la-de-da. It’s 2230 (that’s 10:30pm), and we have hail. Again. This is Texas? This is frakking April? We just had hail ten days ago! Neighbor's front door. So, I stand at the patio door and watch as the hail pounds the carport and the uncovered cars a...

We have hail! Pea-size hail. It didn’t actually wake me. Thunder woke me about 0230. Then the rainstorm started. Now hail at 0500. Wonder if this will hold over until time for class. I could use a day off after yesterday… Best Ensem! I was in desperate need of inspiration, and I thought I’d get a jump on my new project (in addition to all of the coursework I really need to be working on!), so I went to the Deep Ellum Arts Festival yesterday. Great art, music, food and lots of dogs, partly because of the dog parade. I’m posting some of the pics on Facebook. This is the dog that gave me the biggest smile.  They were working it! So, what’s my new project? I mentioned back in March that I applied for the UTD artist residency at CentralTrak. I am looking at the past and present artists living/working in Deep Ellum. There were several artists presenting at the festival that are from the area. Yeah! That gives me a start. I met several and told them what I’m planning. All that I...