Monday Meandering

Every child is an artist. The problem is how to remain an artist once we grow up. ~Pablo Picasso

We had a pretty decent weekend... fairly quiet, which is always a good thing. DD had her art show last week. I wasn't impressed with the projects this time, but the class is for a wide range of ages and this time it included some very young kidlets, so the projects were not as complicated.

I did like the idea behind this handprint:


But her mosaic wasn't as difficult as last time:



And then there was this odd modernistic collage:



And a study of complimentary colors:



Still, she had fun so I suppose that's what matters -- not turning her into the next Monet.

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I read an excerpt of a book last week that nearly made me cry. The premise sounded interesting, but the writing was so poorly done and edited that, considering the excerpt was supposed to intrigue me and cause me to buy the book, it failed and also made me want to slap the editor first, then the author.

It went something like this, in part:

Martha ran down the trail. Martha loved to run in the mornings. It was pretty, and clear and the air was fresh. Mornings were her favorite part of the day. She was so involved in her enjoyment she didn't see the knife flash down. She didn't see it cut her throat, or the enjoyment on the face of the man who attacked her.

Sadly, I'm not exaggerating.

Those of you who are readers only were probably a bit bored. Those of you who are also writers should see several errors in this finished product.

First, it's all "telling". Apparently this author missed the lesson on "show don't tell".

Second, it slips from third person POV (Martha's) into some odd omniscient narrative, which is a no-no. Head-hopping isn't great IMHO, but in this one we don't have a second head we hop into ... we just get told what's happening by the author. If Martha "didn't see" what was going on, she couldn't relay it to us.

I nearly screamed in frustration. First, this author should have done her homework. But in the absence of that, her editor should have either NOT contracted this work or TAUGHT her the correct way to write this. Shame on both of them.

Something like this is how it should have looked for publication (I'm writing this off the cuff, so it's not perfect):

Martha's feet thumped the dirt as she ran. She filled her lungs with the crisp, cool morning air and smiled as she made her way down the winding path. Was there anything better than a morning jog through the woods? She didn't think so.

A snap of a twig was the only warning she got before the knife swung down and sliced the tender skin below her chin. The pain burned and she stumbled on the path, grabbing her throat with one hand in an attempt to stop the blood pouring from the wound. The last thing she saw as she fell was the look of glee on her attackers face.

It's a shame. Truth is, a good editor is the best thing any writer can have.

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You Are a Kiwi

You're a very outgoing person. You start each day excited about the people you'll see and meet. You're the type of person who's just comfortable around others. You are a very social creature. You are quite opinionated. You can't help but have a view on everything, and you don't mind sharing it! You are prepared for whatever comes your way in life. You plan for the worst and expect the best.

Which Exotic Fruit Are You?

Blogthings: A Fine Line Between Insight and Stupidity

The first part, not so much, but the second half is right on.

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Art and Arfs

Artists can color the sky red because they know it's blue. Those of us who aren't artists must color things the way they really are or people might think we're stupid. ~Jules Feiffer

The art show was a little bit of a letdown this year -- they only put items out on the first floor and, while ALL of DD's stuff was shown (as opposed to last time when only two were up), there wasn't a lot to see.

We got there really early and ended up getting in and out almost before the show officially began, which was good, because by the time we left, the little art center was PACKED like a can of sardines.

In any case, and without further ado, here are DD's pieces of art.

Her barn (which was the first thing they did, and which she hurried through -- I think she learned her lesson, though, because her other items were fabulous):



This painting of fruit really looks amazing. While it's not perfect, you can really see her effort in the shiny spots on the fruit, etc. I was impressed:



Lastly, her glass mosaic. She was the only one in her class unafraid to grind class, so she did it for everyone (and has the nicks to prove it!):



In any case, we were able to get there, look at everything and still get to beginning agility on time.

Agility this week was a little crazy, though (Is there a full moon? New moon? Planets aligned funky?). We had dog fights both nights. Weds, the little Yorkie with aggression issues was grouchier than usual. I wasn't running in the class (my knee is not doing well ... another story for another day) so, I was in charge. I just love him to death, I really do, which is a good thing.

There was one run, though, that really just entailed taking very few steps and sending the dog out, so I decided to try it. DD sat down next to the Yorkie's mom (well, aunt really -- her sister hasn't been able to come lately), and when Dakota's run was over, she called her.

Bad idea.

Though this Yorkie doesn't mind Dakota for the most part, THIS time Dakota stepped on him and it set him off. DD threw her hand down in between them to keep Dakota from being bitten and got bitten herself. No blood, but her hand is bruised and he broke the skin. HOWEVER, before anyone gets up in arms -- she wasn't badly hurt, and was more concerned for the dogs. After class, she even gave the Yorkie lots of love... because he's reactive (was attacked BADLY by dogs as a puppy), but always has so much remorse afterward and would never intentionally bite a human. He's a work in progress... and we love to work with him. Besides, if DD decides to work with dogs as a career (and right now, that's in the running for certain) she's going to get bitten.

Last night, we have two dogs who are both there to get over their issues with other dogs. Unfortunately, one of them got away from her owner and ... of course... went charging over to the other one who had spent the class barking at her. I guess she'd just had it. I was closest, so leaped up, pulled them apart and then stood between them (her owner had her leash by now). Neither dog was hurt, just slobbered on, but we really don't usually have this many problems.

We won't talk about how I hurt my knee again. I jumped up without thinking. It's instinctive to try to keep the dogs safe.

Never a dull moment. And, I'm just praying my knee holds out for the next three weeks...

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I'm obscenely behind on visiting blogs ... I feel like I say that all the time, but I have such a strong desire to visit with you all. I hate missing. I'm gonna give it the old college try today (the plan is to stay home ALL DAY). Of course, DH is home and sick (he has a wicked cold), so who knows what the day may bring.

Please know I'm thinking of y'all!

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You Are a Perfectionist

You can see the big picture, but you sometimes find it overwhelming. You need to break things down into small chunks. You act quickly but not impulsively. You think through your actions, even if only briefly. You are a big dreamer. Your head is in the clouds with your latest scheme, and it's sometimes difficult to get you back down to earth. You are content and harmonious. You've made your peace with the world.

The Soap Bubble Test

Hmmm.... about 75% corrrect (the last is wrong, sadly).

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Art Show

Every child is an artist. The problem is how to remain an artist once we grow up. ~Pablo Picasso

Tonight is DD's art show for her art classes. She did an amazing job on her pieces this year -- I'm SO proud of her. She took her time and it really shows! I'll take pictures of whatever they display and post for tomorrow.

She really loves doing art and crafty things. It's funny -- growing up, I liked art okay, but I really loved performing art. I was in band, drama and choir. I keep trying to get DD interested in them, but she has NO desire at all.

I was also really into sports. I played volleyball and basketball, and in junior high, I ran track for a couple years. So, again I try to get her involved. Nope. She likes to swim (but doesn't want to compete), she enjoyed gymnastics, but it wasn't a passion.

I guess we really can't make them into clones of ourselves, can we?

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On the writing front, I've been working through trying to outline my story that I'm working on. I'm not a plotter, but I find that I really feel the need to KNOW where this one is going... partly because I'm planning it as part of a series, and partly because there is a "big mystery" that I have to work through.

So, not a lot of actual writing going on, but enough thinking that my head aches from it! LOL...

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You Are a Mouse

You are a quiet and observant creature. You may not have much to say, but you always know what's going on. You are good at getting things done without attracting attention. You are sneaky, but only in a good way. You are well organized. You develop a system for everything you do. You notice and analyze everything. You can be a bit fearful, but it's only because you are aware of every detail of your surroundings.

What Rodent Are You?

That's pretty much right on, except for the "quiet" part... LOLOL....

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