The Not So Funny Part About Art....

I was rereading the book I had mentioned in a previous blog:Art & Fear: Observations On the Perils (and Rewards) of Artmaking and it really floored me that a person who is making art will probably only produce 10 noteworthy pieces in their life time. Thousands and thousands of work just brushed to the side not even making a dent, but ten will somehow evoke people's attention. And that's if you ever get noticed at all by the general public. So why do artist do it then? Put themselves through the grueling torture of never making it big because their is hardly a market for it anymore. It's easy, because if they didn't produce art they wouldn't be living. It's an essential, just like breathing for some and the thought of not making something is just too much of a downer.  Also if you look closely at a lot of the old master work you will find that many of the paintings are actually painted over another image that was, to there eyes or to the eyes of the critics, a failure.  But without these failures, an artist would never be pushed in the direction of a success.

 Then there are those pieces that you don't care of people appreciate them because you have found them to be your own personal success.  They fill you with a sense of accomplishment that will not be dampened by some one's silly opinion.  These are the pieces that keep an artist moving forward instead of just quitting where they stand, and believe me I have found myself thinking about it on several occasions.  There is something however, about when a project just comes together the way you hoped it would and it makes you feel like you were meant to make it.  So for all you artists out there pondering the idea of throwing in the towel, remember its not really about everyone else's opinion but your own that really counts. 

If you can continue on with your life with out the stroke of the brush or the scratch of a graphite pencil to paper than an artist's life is not for you, but if you are constantly being drawn back to the craft there is really nothing you can do about it.  Just do what you like and like what you do!!  The most that we can pray for is that society will catch on to our genius...lol.  Stay Crafty, LKB

The Art of the Perfect Cannon Ball

Summertime is finally here and its time to get out there and have some fun. One of the fundamentals of a good pool party is the "Cannonball."

Now the funny thing about this is if you are notorious for the cannonball you must be the first to do it or it will appear you are just "following the leader." It's like the first to start to clap after a speech and it builds in to a roaring applause. Only one is credited with it.

So what makes a great cannon ball you ask? Form, it all comes down to the form!! This in turn produces the best splash and the biggest water spurt.  One thing that really adds to the action is one's girth...the rounder the better, thus cannonball.  The first step to performing a cannonball is to gain momentum.  This can be accomplished either by running towards the pool or jumping several times on a diving board if available.  The second step is to jump as high as you possibly can in the direction of the pool, up and down will end badly.  Last but not least you must tuck your legs and hands in as tightly to your body to form the most compact cannonball you can.  Then its bombs away and the splashing fun has begun.  Another great move is the Jack knife.  This is very similar to the cannonball, but instead of pulling both knees towards your center you only pull one knee and let the other leg slice through the water.  A very important tip when doing these moves is to always be on the deep end of the pool.  If you try to execute them on the shallow end you will hurt yourself!!!  If you are lacking the girth to execute a really remarkable cannonball check out this contraption I came across the other day. It not only gives you more circumference, but it also keeps you afloat so you don't end up at the bottom of the pool. *grin* If you have any great pool moves feel free to share them!! Hope you enjoyed this little insight to some sweet summertime fun. LKB

Spending What You Don't Have...

Credit cards are probably the biggest epidemic ever to hit America.  They are a blessing but a curse all at the same time.  Your credit report now affects almost all of the things you do to getting a new job or applying for a loan.  Plus you have the bad effects of not using a credit card that could leave your credit score way below what it should be.  Either way today's society is dependent on credit and how one spends its money.  I for one am no exception to this dilemma.  While in college I applied for my first credit card and was constantly maxing it out to pay for supplies or go out to eat, or all that other random stuff that I could have budgeted for better and used real cash.  Then I got another one, and then another one and pretty soon I was in some serious debt.  Ahhhh debt, the very essence of American society today.  It took me some time but I finally saw my flawed ways and took a different approach to money.  I started looking into forming a real budget, creating a savings, forming a nest egg.  One great read that I would recommend for any woman that wants to take control of her own finances is Smart women finish Rich.
Silly as it sounds it really has some good advise and common sense that we all have but for some reason aren't applying.
Now with the added debts that a marriage inevitably brings with it, I am still struggling to reach those goal I set forth, but I slowly moving towards the right direction.  Eliminating over half of my previous credit cards, keeping payments up to date, putting money towards retirement, having several types of savings accounts with different benefits, and working towards the ultimate goal:  Having a house, new car, family, and a sizable nest egg for anything that should and will probably come up.  This is a pretty lofty goal, but I think with a little self control, seeing the bank account growing, and having that secure feeling with having your finances under control, I will get there.
 What do you think about our society and the financial depression we are dealing with these days?  LKB

Do I Have Something On My Face?!

Funny thing happened on my day off yesterday, among the cleaning and shopping, and random errands I was running it later came to my attention at home that there was a split in my pants by one of the back pockets. Now as soon as this came to my attention I start to recall the days events and all the weird looks that I received throughout the day. I just brushed them off thinking perhaps I imagined them due to the fact that I am always people watching as well. But what if they noticed this, and if so why did noone say a thing to me? This dilema is not just limited to split pants. Oh no, it goes for have food on your face, something in your teeth, leaving the price tags on a shirt, leaving the size tags on your pants *grin* (thx hiccups). Why is it that we are afraid to approach each other when these things are in front of us. I for one would like to know if I have toliet paper on my shoe or something silly like that. And that's just it, it is totally silly and yet it seems forbidden to attempt to breach the individual bubbles we all seem to be floating in. Usually a good friend will tell you when something on your face, but why aren't we all this kind to each other. I know that I would be grateful to have found out at least half way through the day instead of recalling bending over in the laundry mat putting folded clothes into my baskets, with apparently my ass hanging out...lol. Check this book out for some other funny stories!! How I Survived My Most Embarrassing Moments
So I say to you world be kind and let someone know the next time you noticed, they will most undoubtly be grateful!!!! LKB

Struggling to Eat Healthy

I for one have found it to be a difficult task to try and eat healthy. One of the biggest obstacles in my life is putting together a meal at the end of a work day. Not only do I not feel like cooking, but for some reason everything in the refrigerator is unappealing to me. Does this sound familiar? I think part of the problem is that it is so simple just to say screw it were going out tonight, and have someone else do all the work. Then the food that restaurants provide is just not the good stuff you need to be eating. Also I find the lure of being out with other people appealing, instead of just eating with your spouse or alone for that matter. It's nice to hear the buzz around you and feel you,re apart of the social nightscape as it were.
Another obstacle that stands in my way personally, coming from wisconsin, is the bar scene/beer. I am a social being and a very easy way to meet people, were it friends, coworkers, musicians, new people, etc, is to go out to the local club or bar. But this is also a trap for your so called healthy life style. The music is good, the conversation is rolling and the beer is a flowing. Leaving your wallet slimmer and your belly bigger...lol. One way to try to combat this is to just not go out at all, but how likely is that to happen? A more realistic idea might be to try one of those low calorie, tastes like watered down beers instead. Buzzzzz...wrong again, for me anyway. I am looking into the idea of switching on and off, which is not a new invention by any means, but has been overlooked numerous times. In other words, have a good beer, then have a water, or ice tea or whatever and go back and forth. Now you're a party animal and your aim is to get all jacked up this is probably not the answer for you, but if you're like me and are more out the socializing aspect of it all this might be right up your alley.
Some good things about society today is that everyone is like minded in the movement to get healthy. There are so many resources that the possibilities and chances of getting in shape are greating increasing. One publication that I have found useful is Shape Magazine.
It has a lot of healthy food ideas, as well as little exercises you can do anywhere. Exercise is another monster all together that is definitely worth noting, but I think it also deserves its own blog for another day...lol.
So pretty much the game plan is as follows: Make more meals at home, plan a night out every couple of weeks as a reward, prepare healthy lunches the night before so you are not tempted to eat out for lunch, when out with friends try and switch up the beer intake, plan more outings that involve actual movement rather than sitting and watcing a movie, etc.
If you have any good ideas that have worked for you feel free to leave a comment. LKB

Suzie Homemaker Does Not Live Here!!

Growing up as a girl, I found that their was always a standard or ideal that people have for a "model wife". They have the dinner on the table before their man gets home, have all the laundry pressed and folded and put away, their houses are in total order, and their appearance is always proper and prestine. This is not my house and I am pretty sure it will never be. As the times have changed and more women(or rather most women) have entered the workforce, there is a real struggle for the same standards to apply. Some women reach these goals like some sort of super human, never resting until they have succeeded. For the rest of us, I think this is a lofty goal.
The negatives about this are as followed: days off are spent cleaning, doing odd errands, grocery shopping, getting the car fixed(another blog all together!! lol), taking the cats to the vet, etc, etc, etc. So instead of having a day off you are really just working for yourself that day. Which would be fine if you were able to get everything done in one day. Eureka!! That is impossible. Thus, you are forced to spread out the chores over nights, and days off eventually becoming behind and entrapped in an endless circle. Ahhh. You even start turning to self help books to see if there is some magical trick you haven't tried to outsmart the neverending saga. Example Exhibit A:
However, there are some positives to the new world order as it were. Luckily I have been blessed with a husband that carries some of the work load. Not only does this neverending chore list give us grumbles, but it also gives us a common enemy that overall makes us more of a team. Also by seeing the struggles first hand, my husband doesn't subject me to the comparison of the "model wife standards" even though he may throw in a snide remark every once in awhile. I am still working on those lofty goals of eventually getting ahead of the curve, but until then I feel that as long as I have a teammate the pressures of perfection are not as bleak as they once must have been. What do you think the new "model wife" looks like now? LKB

Dueling the Motivation Monster

I have found that one of the hardest parts of being married and in my twenties is the constant lack of motivation or even fear to accomplish personal goal outside my relationship. I am employeed at a full time job, but part time I am an artist. I constantly battle myself to get together not only the drive, but the courage to put the stuff out there to be subjected to critizism. Perhaps that is where the fear comes in. Also, being married adds to the overwhelming doubt because its not just my livelihood I am risking any more. Now you may say I could be using my relationship as a scapegoat for not chasing down that dream whole-heartedly and perhaps you are right. However, what makes a person just say one day, "Yes, I am going for it." And throw your cautions to the wind.

One book that helped me through the barrier was Art and Fear. It pretty much lays it out staight for you when it comes to all the reasons you may or may not be producing the work. Something that I really found motivating was planning an actual event that gives me an actual due date. Not only does this give you ambition, but it also gives you something to look forward to. Without an end, there is no real beginning. Another obstacle is the laziness you feel when you get home from that full time job that somehow stops you just short of the canvas. The couch is so inviting, the tv is the mind numbing bliss you've been hoping for all day and the projects that you had planned on tackling are anything but desirable. One way I have been battling this problem is putting music on instead of the tv, or putting in a movie you've seen a thousand times in for background sound instead of something you are going to be drawn to constantly. These are some of the things I have tried and found that worked, if you have any ideas on beating the motivation monster feel free to comment. LKB