Hall of Fame

The highlight of the week was the big Hall of Fame Awards put on by the Simmons Center, the local community center in Duncan. They put on two nights of entertainment to raise money for new lighting in the theater/auditorium.

The SC is a very nice community center in Duncan that is used for all sorts of events.  If you did a search on my blog, you would probably see all sorts of art events held at the SC such as weddings, graduations, proms, business meetings, school functions, plays, concerts, etc. Part of the building is a huge auditorium, part is large meeting rooms, part is a huge kitchen, and part is a gym and exercise facility.  It is all very nice and a great place for events.  You would also find in my posts that I am not a big fan of the SC, but I do recognize all that they provide the community.

So Friday night the SC had a meet-n-greet. They had asked several artists, including me, to bring a couple of paintings to be shown for just that one night.  I didn't really understand what all was happening - what the events were really all about, but I took my paintings. Because I had bought tickets to Saturday nights event, I only had to pay $20 to attend the meet-n-greet.  I payed another $25 to attend Saturday night's event - and that was to sit in the cheap seats.  I was a little miffed at having to pay for the meet-n-greet when I volunteered my art. I might not have gone at all except that I wanted to support CTACs involvement. Plus it is important to put a face with your art.  

The director of CTAC, Darsey, met me at the door and we went in together.  There was a surprising amount of people there - people that I have never seen before in my 20 years of living in Duncan.  These were Duncan's elite.  It was not the usual crowd of business owners (and people who shop at Walmart). This was the money behind the money.  Darsey had to point out who was who and explain their ties/money to Duncan.  I have to say that the event was very nice, but it did not really have anything to do with art. No one bought paintings, no one was interested in the art except the artists. Now those people, I knew. We artist ladies gathered and visited, which was the best part of the evening.

Then on Saturday night I went to the SC again, but this time it was the awards ceremony.  We met in the big auditorium where we had purchased assigned seats - $25 being the cheap seats. Several community groups like CTAC and Duncan Little Theater had been asked to come up with two awards to people who had promoted the arts within our organizations. It was important that I support CTAC and the people we chose. The rest of the awards ceremony didn't mean much to me. I did learn more about the people who started SC and the people who started the Duncan Little Theater - elites of the elites. It was interesting. It was good for me to know more about the Duncan community.

The best part of the evening was the entertainment.  Duncan has produced some amazing talent and several of those talents were there to perform - for free - and it was really good. My favorite was a David Hooten who played the piano and then the trumpet. It was soul moving. I even bought one of his CDs.

So, I guess in all, the two events were not so bad. It was a learning experience. It was pretty fun. I do like Darsey and the CTAC folk who attended - and my art buddies.  Would I normally pay $50 for such an event. Nope.

Beulah

Here I am at Viridian having coffee and stealing wifi waiting on my hair appointment.

A few days ago, my blogger friend, FF, came through town and called.  We decided to meet at Viridian for a coffee.  I decided to get here early and steal wifi before meeting with FF.  Unfortunately, I did one of those stupid things. I packed up my computer and my new Kindle to bring, but forgot my phone.  It would only be a problem if for some reason FF needed to text me before we met up.  I knew Toby would be heading home from work, but he would never hear my phone, and often when he gets home, he puts his phones away and goes to the barn to work. So, I needed to call him before he got home. When I entered Viridian, I looked around for someone I knew - to borrow their phone. I saw no one I knew. The little girl behind the counter asked to help me. I was dumbfounded. I just stood there trying to think of what I should do.  Shay and Lindz were not available, and it seemed no one I knew was working at that time. I stood there like a lump. Luckily Jordan, who is a good friend and works at Viridian, came out. She handed over her phone and all was good.  FF showed up right on time and we visited for a while.  It was good to catch up with her and find out what's happening in her life.

Yesterday I had a massage with Ashley, who used to blog - a lifetime ago.  Today I am getting my hair fixed. I would say I'm getting it cut, but fixed is a better word.  I need a good trim and my curls need help.  They do what they call a curl bake, which I call a clam bake - sounds more exciting.  Last week  I posted a picture of Beulah Witch from Kukla, Fran, and Ollie on FB.  As a kid that I was fascinated by the witch, maybe a bit bothered by her.  Her hair was always flying around  - gray and wispy and totally out of control.  I wondered why. Now I know. It is the way with gray hair.

Tweaking the Tasks

This first week of the new year I have tried to be a bit better about managing my life.  I kept up with my task tracker - for the most part. It probably needs some tweaking, but it is what it is right now.  After only one week, I can't really tell much about my habits, but hopefully over the month, I can see where I need improvement or that it will encourage me to do better in certain areas. Well, that is the plan, anyway.

Exercise was one of the things I put on the task list.  I wrote down cardio and strength exercise separately - as if to do one or the other or both. Did I actually exercise this week? Well, not really. I did some yoga stretches one day. And I did some construction work on the man cave/pottery room. Maybe that is not really exercise, but I was sore from lifting and bending, so I counted it as exercise.  Part of my excuse was that it was pretty darn cold earlier this week - it even snowed some.  If you count lifting and moving the chicken tractor to feed the chickens or carrying the bucket of feed down to the horses, I could put down more exercise.  If I count carrying loads of firewood, then I exercised much more than what is shown.  Technically, I did very little exercise, as the world calls it.

Also on my task tracker is blogging and Wix, my website.  I did try to check on my blog daily. Having data is helpful, which renewed on the 4th of the month. I did look at my Wix account - website. It needs serious tweaking, but I just cannot seem to make myself do it.  I need serious internet for what needs to be done there. I may have to go sit at the coffee shop and steal some wifi to work on my website. I'm not sure why the lack of internet/data is such a deterrent to my blogging, but it is. I feel stifled and limited.

On my task tracker, I also put down "food log" because according to the Naturally Slim diet that I have been on, keeping track of your eating is helpful in losing weight.  Although I managed to log my food intake for the week, I did not lose weight. Sigh. Losing weight is not so simple.  It is a multi-task thang, which brings me back to the task tracker. I need to drink my water, exercise, food log, etc. Eat less and move more. It all has to be done in order for me to get healthier and so far, I am not doing it all - I can see that on my tracker, but I knew it!

Art is also on my list. And I did do more painting this week, plus some art room organization. I read an article on making your art room more comfortable so that you want to spend more time there. I am working on that. If I could just paint from my recliner...

Household chores are also on my list. Ha!

This task tracker thang is supposed to be encouraging. I do already know that I don't exercise enough and that I need to eat less to lose weight. And I do know that to be more of a professional artist, I need to be professional about painting. Supposedly seeing it on paper in line-form is encouraging or discouraging maybe.  So, I will keep at it for a while. It is like growing out my bangs - what a pain in the butt. My bangs still need fixin' everyday - just like when they were short. They often hang in my eyes and need to be pinned up. Although they are long enough to be pinned back or braided, I'm not sure if I even look good without bangs. But I'm gonna grow these silly bangs out totally! The whole enchilada! Then I will know if I like or dislike them. The same as this task tracker. If I don't follow through with it for a while, how can I know if it is encouraging? The old "follow thru" just ain't what she used to be.

By the way, today is Toby's birthday.  We had the family over yesterday for pork roast, potato salad, cole slaw, beans and some pound cake. No wonder I did not lose weight! The GGs were sick and stayed home, but the boys were here along with Bo and Jes.  The day was warm and sunny, but a bit windy. Toby ran the boys around on the four-wheeler and did the farm chores with them. They love being here and it was a good time. Happy birthday, Toby!

Holiday Glows and Woes

Happy New Year a day late! Our holidays have been uneventful or maybe I should say unexciting. We have been without data on our phones and hotspots since before Christmas.  I think Toby watches too many videos :) Who knows the whys of our data woes! It has been a pain to have slow internet, but in a way, it's a relief. When you are already out of data, you don't have to worry about running out again. It does keep me from blogging, though.
 
My niece and her husband came up for Christmas. We had our Christmas Eve party minus the talent show. Shay and Lindz with baby Teddy were there as well as Bo and family. Jesse's friend Lex came - she is always a fun date. People have asked why we did not do the talent show. The truth is that none of us have any real talent and we have run the gamut of skits, poetry, silliness, etc. I did cook enchiladas - a talent of sorts.  We played games, made Christmas ornaments, and cut out snow flakes to put on the windows. Are we an exciting bunch or what?!

Christmas Day we all drove over to Wichita Falls to meet up with my brothers for a little party.  Toby and I picked up his mom and took her too.  She did great.  My brother cooked steaks. I baked apple pies. We played pickle ball as well as other inside games. No reindeer games.

It was all a good time, but I was glad the Christmas part was over.  I took my Christmas decorations down on New Year Eve.  Bo came over and helped Toby work on the man cave/pottery room out in the barn.  It is coming along slowly, but at least it is in progress.  New Year Day Jesse came over and we met the grandbabies at the theater to see Mary Poppins Returns. It was fun. Mr T, who recently turned six, also went. There is a scene in the movie where Mary  Poppins is preparing a bath for the kids. She throws bubble bath and all sorts of odd things into the tub.  Then a dolphin pops up out of the bubbles. Mr T popped up too. His eyes were like saucers. He was entranced. I really liked the movie.

GBN2 also had a birthday - she turned 12 a few days ago. She is growing up.  GBN1 will be 15 in March. She is beginning to wear make-up. We all thought she would be tall like her mom, but she is about my height. I tell her there is still hope for her to be taller.

As for the New Year resolutions, well, they are about the same as always.  I had lost about 30 lbs since last March, but with the holidays I have put a bit back on. Now I will have to work to get back to where I was, and then work to lose more - it is the story of my life.  I want to be more organized, so I started a task tracker type thing where I have a list of daily tasks. I mark them off as I do them.  I included blogging as one of my tasks.  We will see how it works.  I also want to be more professional in my art as well as do more art. Same o' stuff.

Party Week

It was party week here. On Tuesday we had the CTAC board Christmas dinner at a local restaurant.  Toby and I often joke that if the food is bad and the service is worse, people in Duncan will love it.  That pretty well wraps up the dinner part of the party.  The people part was much better.  I sat next to Annette, who is the mother of our local Oklahoma House Representative and entrepreneur of Distinctive Décor. I don't know her son well, but Annette is one funny lady.  She makes me laugh at our board meetings, and at dinner the other night she kept me entertained.  She often uses the wrong word (kind of like Jesse).  It always makes for interesting conversation.  She told a story about Hedy Lamarr, but kept calling her Haddy.  She said Haddy had been a great inventor. Then she said, "You should Google it up!" Google it up. Of course - a cross between Google it and look it up.  Works for me.

On Friday we drove to Lawton for a dinner party with Toby's fellow employees. I had not met these people.  His new job is not in accounting - it is in shipping - so it was a different sort of folk.  They were all fun. I enjoyed the people and their spouses. There was one guy who cussed a lot. I can handle a bit of cussing, but it bothers me when it is every other word and it is more than the usual. I had to wonder at his intelligence or up-bringing. The guy's wife, on the other hand, was quite intelligent and enjoyable. Then there was a lady from Los Lunas, NM.  She was lots of fun and very New Mexican - made me homesick.  It was the food and service that was bad again.  If possible, the service was worse than at the CTAC party.  The food was better, but geeze Louise it took forever to order and get food. I guess they heard that people from Duncan like bad service and mediocre food.

The highlight of the week was Thursday when Jesse came and picked up Toby to go to OKC. She has been looking for a new/used car. They found her a used Rav 4,

which was just what she wanted.  She was back in Duncan in time to go to my watercolor Christmas card party at the CTAC. There were about 14 people who showed up for the watercolor class.  Some were really wanting to learn some watercolor techniques. Some were there for the party and wine. It was all fun.  Jesse was a big help in setting up and breaking down. Since she is an artist, she was also able to help those around her.  At one point the electricity went off. Everyone broke out their phones and kept on painting.  Jesse and Darcy (CTAC director) put out candles. The lights were off for about 15 minutes. Everyone made a few cards and had fun, which was the purpose of the party.

On Sunday we had a huge potluck at church.  The food was great!  So when I weighed in on Monday, my weight was up - go figure!

Melancholy Week

It has been a strange week, but at least things have slowed down since last week and dealing with the art show.  I did a little painting every day - working on my Christmas cards.  So when I say "little" painting, that is exactly what they are - little 5x7 cards. So far, none have been knock-your-socks-off paintings. Most have been snowmen done with my art classes, but I have been working on some other things too.  Sometimes I get this feeling that I want to do some different technique. I can see it in my brain, but I cannot always get it to come out my paint brush.  Sometimes I have a really good idea while I'm doing something (maybe driving and thinking), but by the time I sit down at my art table, the thought is gone. That is how I feel lately.  I need to paint, but what?

Lately, it seems that I have been doing more watercolor - fast, easy, and cheap. And since I need inspiration, I signed up for a watercolor workshop in March with my painting buddy, Barb. We signed up for Graham Berry workshop in Dallas.  I first saw his work on World Watercolor Group in Facebook.  I love his light and color.  Last year he came to the USA and traveled around doing workshops and I was envious - wanting to take one.  Maybe taking his workshop will be just what I need to perk up my art.

On Wed. of this week, Bill Hunter, AKA Big Daddy, passed away. He was Lindz' grandfather and the father to my friends Janice and Beverly.  Big Daddy was 95 years old and always such fun - laughing and telling stories of his days as a career Navy man.  He served in WWII, but missed being at Pearl Harbor by shear luck.  While all his buddies went to Hawaii, he chose to stay close to home and do his training in Texas. It probably saved his life. Then he fought in the South Pacific and later continued in the Navy living all over the world.  Of course he had been retired for a long while, and living in CO for years, but had moved to Duncan about 3 years ago to be near his daughters and most of his grandchildren.  His apartment became the party spot for all of them.  He loved having his grandkids around. Just last week Jesse and Lindz took Theo/Teddy to see Big Daddy and have lunch with him.  Jesse said it was a special day with lots of laughing and just being with Big Daddy. Then on Wed he went into the hospital complaining of chest pains. While in the hospital, he made jokes with the nurses and kept everyone entertained. A few hours later, he had died of pneumonia.  He lived a good long life and died peacefully without being down and sick. He will be missed.

This past week I also watched the funeral of George Bush and listened to the eulogy of his son. With the passing of these two men, it made me think of losing my own dad in Dec of 2005. It all made me a bit melancholy.  I took my mom's little dog, Buddy, to the vet on Wed and found out that he has congestive heart failure. I may be able to keep him alive a bit longer if I can get him to eat, but there is nothing really to do for him.  It makes me sad, but not like losing Ranger last year. It is probably more sad because Buddy was Mom's little dog for years.

Next week I have a watercolor "party" at the CTAC.  I will teach a little class in making watercolor Christmas cards. I need to get into the Christmas spirit - maybe even put out my Christmas decorations. Maybe I'll knock out a nice painting in the meantime.  My niece and her husband are coming up from Austin for Christmas.  We will have a little Christmas Eve party. I know things will perk up.  It was just a strange week.