Saturday Stuff

It's late evening, and I'm sitting at my desk as the sun fades and the moon rises. I have some time to myself and I really want to write, but I have to be honest, I don't know what this post is going to be about. I'm just going to write until I feel like I'm finished, kind of the same way I create artwork. If that sounds completely boring, go ahead and skip this post. No big deal.

Have you ever said, "No big deal." When the deal was in fact, quite big? I think we all have a time or two. My advice (like you even asked for it) is: never downplay the size of the deal.  If you need something, speak up. If you're upset or confused, speak up. If you don't want to do a thing or go to a place, say no. The world won't explode. You may disappoint someone, but it will be a good lesson for you in standing your ground, and a good lesson for them in being gracious in disagreement. It took me several years to learn this skill. I always wanted to please everyone, make everyone happy, a lot of times to my own detriment. Sometimes it is still uncomfortable for me to speak up, but I do my best to be heard, no matter how nerve-wracking it can be for me.

You know something I really love about being in a long-term relationship? The language. You know that secret, just-between-you language that gradually comes into being through your years together? My husband and I have so many inside jokes, nicknames, and code words, sometimes I wonder if we'll wake up one day completely devoid of actual language, having fallen into an alternate universe where our married language is the official dialect. (If you're wondering, Steven calls me Stompfoot sometimes because I walk with purpose, digging my heels into the ground and shaking the Earth itself with each step. I call him Mean Old Panda when I feel his playfulness toward me veers away from humor into major annoyance (MY annoyance at HIM, not his toward me. I am never annoying, I assure you.) 😏

On a somewhat related note, one time we were driving and Steven decided to scare me, so he slammed on the brakes and screamed. It startled me so badly, that by the time we got home, I had a full-blown panic attack while I was loading the dishwasher. It was terrible. Steven had no idea that would be the outcome; he just wanted to be funny and startle me. Well, needless to say, he hasn't attempted a jump scare with me in months. Haha! 

Ok, now you need a story where I am the villain: One night, I was in the bed already, reading. Steven came up and threatened playfully to SWOOSH the covers so the cold air would WHOOSH inside and chill me. I looked him in the face and told him if he did that, I would punch him in the balls. Well, he SWOOSHED the covers one more time, and then he leaned over to kiss me in apology, and when he did, I leaned up, and  I slapped him right in the balls, as (almost) promised. (Give me some credit, at least I didn't actually punch him.) As you can imagine, he hit the floor for a few seconds. I, his loving wife, in my most tender voice, told him, "I warned you." He was fine. We still laugh about it to this day. We also laugh about my "car scare panic attack".  I'm glad I married a man who can laugh when his wife backhands his tendies. And he appreciates my ability to laugh when he scares the living shit out of me and calls me Stompfoot.

I made some artwork this week:

I go to hang my gallery show at Lowe Mill on Tuesday. My work will be up from March 2-April 23, with a closing reception on the 23rd. I'm really excited about this show. I have a large piece in this one, kind of an anchor piece. It's a mixed media piece on a large canvas.

One of my favorite things about gallery shows is talking with people about the meaning they find in my work. In my opinion, once I create a piece, my thoughts and energy are now part of it, but how other people see it may be different than my own ideas, and I love that! I always like to hear what others see in a piece. 

I’m going to make a mug of tea and read for awhile.

Bye.