I Saw Nude People

I remember our first male model in art school who looked really cute when he walked through the door, until he took his clothes off. I remember the old man and old women who modeled nude together and looked beautiful. I remember April who wasn't much older than me. She had a tiny heart tattoo near her breast, I thought it was cool, and then I wanted one too.

I remember avoiding the genitalia of the male models. If it was an all day pose I would move my easel so I could avoid it completely, if we were doing quick sketches croquis as my instructors referred to them, I just made a line or two. In the beginning it was an embarrassing process for me. By my third year I would strike up conversations with the models.

Forcing a person to stare at the human figure in all forms is a sobering experience. When people are stripped of their clothes, many of our assumptions are removed, therefore there is less to judge. When they are speechless before you for hours, you begin to wonder what skin deep really means.

I saw nude people. A lot of nude people. I learned to appreciate the beauty of the human form in all shapes, sizes and colors. I consider it a special gift that came with my art training.

I needed it after being traumatized by my Nana making me take a bath with her when I was six or seven.

Thanks to Art school, I'm no longer traumatized. 

Holly Crap, Literally

Let's talk about kitty litter.

Have I got you thinking about a box of kitty litter, maybe one that needs cleaning?

I've had cats as pets for most of my adult life. At this moment I have three. We have two litter boxes.
I can't even begin to tell you the pounds of crap I put into the trash each week. When my last two cats died I swore I was done with it. I was inundated with requests from my family, begging and pleading for a new kitten. I finally gave in and I swore this would only work if I didn't EVER have to clean the litter.
Guess who cleans the litter?

I've heard of people who teach their cats to use the toilet and I'm sure this is possible. We only have one bathroom in my modest home. I am not ready to share my toilet during the learning curve.

So here I sit with a multitude of yucky stuff. Along with three cats who go there independent ways and don't even have the decency to sit with me and purr.

shit, turds, piss

Chain Letters

When I was a kid I remember my mother would occasionally get something in the mail she called a chain letter. It warned you to copy the letter (by hand) mail it to ten people (addresses from the phone book) and send it off. If you did, surely fortune would find you. I don't remember that any evil thing was going to happen if you didn't obey. I was a kid

When I got older, I too, received chain letters, the difference was, by that time you had the ability to photocopy the letters. I felt a little apprehensive about breaking the chain, but still, I threw the letters away.

Once email chain letters started is when I remember that they began to get nasty. They may have always been mean spirited if you chose not to reply, I just don't recall. When I got an email it would tell me to send it to ten friends. "Don't break the chain" it warned. Bad things would happen. I had no choice ~ at the time I didn't even have ten friends.

Well, now my ten year old daughter gets them in text messages from her silly little friends. Which really annoys me. She is growing quickly, but she is a young ten. The first one she got was detailed with directions. I tried to explain the whole thing to her, but she was still totally freaked. A week later she mentioned that because she didn't pass the text along she would have a horrible week. Then she proceeded to list why each day of the past week was horrible. She bruised her knee, her hair looked stupid, she lost something, etc. I called her little friend and politely told her to not forward these texts again.

A few years back an old friend contacted me through one of those classmate sites. We spoke a few times and then the only time I heard from him were when he sent silly chain emails. Finally I sent a nice letter saying I enjoyed talking to him but please stop sending me chain letter emails. He sent me a nasty note back, called me a name and said he didn't want to speak to me again. Maybe what I sent wasn't so nice.

Um, okay.

So whatever you do: Do not forward this blog.

but ~ nothing will happen either way.

Kids!

Village of the Damned 1960

I don't know what's wrong with these kids today!
Kids!
Who can understand anything they say?
Kids!
They are disobedient, disrespectful oafs!
Noisy, crazy, sloppy, lazy, loafers!
While we're on the subject:
Kids!
You can talk and talk till your face is blue!
Kids!
But they still just do what they want to do!
Why can't they be like we were,
Perfect in every way?
What's the matter with kids today? 


lyrics by Lee Adams

Blogging Obsession

I think I've become obsessed:

Enjoy it while you can ~ Burnout: imminent

Love in the 21st Century

During the 17th Century the average life expectancy in Colonial America was under 25 years of age.
The average 21st Century American is expected to live until the age of 78.


Now let's talk about this "Until Death Do Us Part" stuff.


Anyone who knows me, knows I love love. 
What's not to love about feeling like crap half the time and elated the other half? I even love the concept of marriage. In fact, just to prove this I have tried it three times. I have come to the conclusion that not only is marriage illogical, but it is also not meant to last forever. Maybe back when people lived to the ripe old age of 25. But today? I think it isn't natural. People change, situations change, needs, desires, expectations, all change as we age. It's very difficult to change at the same rate as your partner or in the same direction. 


I know couples who have been together for what seems like forever. These couples usually hooked up in their teens or early twenties. Had kids, went through ups and downs, and are still together. Some look quite happy. Who am I to say they are not? Still, I'm guessing there is a fair portion of long time married couples who are very comfortable with their double incomes and joint properties. At this point they don't want to forfeit the lifestyle they have become accustomed to. No one wants to rock the boat, so they've pretty much accepted their lot in life, or marriage as the case may be.


I believe that romantic love can last forever. It ebbs and flows but once you really love somebody whether having been in love or not, you don't usually stop loving them. You may stop liking them, but like it or not you'll always love them. 


Which brings me to a series of question I ask myself:

1. If I no longer feel love for someone I once loved, did I ever really love that person?
2. How do I define romantic love?
3. Can romantic love change to just regular everyday, run of the mill love?
4. What is "run of the mill" love?

Each question on its own could most likely be a stand alone blog.
For now I'll just fain a headache and move along.

Sneaker Doodles

You need at least one pair of sneakers. I have one pair I use for walking. At least I will use them for walking as soon as I start walking again. One beat up pair I use around the house who's brand name is non-existent. An old pair of converse high tops in light purple but not quite lavender.

I have, just because I can't get rid of them, an old pair of what used to be white Keds. Unless I'm walking I prefer to wear sneaks with no socks. Also, I have a pair that have grey suede like cloth and pink something on them that I got at a BOGO sale at Payless. Oh and a very expensive pair of KEENS which I find incredibly UNcomfortable.

It's really hard to throw away an old pair of beat up dirty sneakers. I become so attached to them and they are just so darn comfortable. 

And, after all, some of the stains have memories.

I wish I had saved my daughters toddler sneakers as she grew out of them. There was a time when her feet grew so fast that they were hardly worn. I would keep one size up in the house at all times for that morning when the shoe would not fit. Little girls sneakers are just so darn cute.

That's all I have to say about sneakers.