Lisa's Day

Pondering "Panties"

So, I've had this idea for something new artistically, content-wise, even though I'm still struggling with method.

I took some photos over the weekend with the self-timer, just to look at myself in some particular poses. Consider. Ponder. Etc. For a few, I'm sitting on the bed, and you can only see me in my bra and panties (gee, can I call them panties? They're awful big to be calling them "panties" - hence the content). Anyway. The photos are kind of dark, because I purposely didn't use the flash. I didn't want bright flash-lit photos, but more dark and moody. I kind of look like an aging hooker. But I also kind of like the photos. I need to show my hands - I thought I'd only get my chest down to my boobs (TOTALLY hanging out of my bra), but you can see my gigantic briefs, my arms, but not my hands.

Next time I'll need to watch that, so I don't cut off body parts from the frame.

Not sure if I want to post one or not.

I definitely need to sit and draw in front of the mirror.

Speaking of Bad Art Habits, I can't just draw freehand from memory. I end up just scribbling, or filling in general symbols, and not drawing the full texture of what's there. I'm making notes. Maybe after vacation I'll be able to write about it.

Lisa Gets Anxiety Drugs and has Chik-un Bis-kits

So, last weekend I kinda had an emotional meltdown. I've been having trouble with anxiety, kind of forever, but it's gotten worse in my 40s. Maybe it's hormonal changes. My sister kept badgering me via email about us texting on the road during our trip, and she didn't seem to be getting it that we have loadable phones, not unlimited minutes. Then she said something to my brother, who emailed a smart-ass remark about well, if someone had sent me $200 for a trip, the least I could do was buy some cell phone minutes. Then he emailed all siblings about us having the Dysfunctional Family Reunion. It all just rubbed me the wrong way, and after several angry emails back and forth, my sister finally called and I burst into tears on the phone.

Good times.

She then gave my brother a talking-to, who was like: What? What'd I do?! He emailed that we needed to talk. He emailed several apologies that he was just joking, he wasn't saying anything about our financial situation, the Dysfunctional Family thing was an inside joke between he and BJ, but he copied everyone for a laugh.

I had also emailed Jami Monday during the day to tell her about my crying meltdown.

And I emailed my Dr. Sunday night because it was kind of scary that I just couldn't let it go. Uncontrollable crying, tears that just wouldn't stop (even in bed, after Pamprin again). She emailed that I should come in after my vacation, but did I want her to fax me in an Rx to get through the vacation? YES.

So, my Monday evening commute was a little longer than expected. There was a CROWD at Dupont Circle Metro Station. By the time I got to the car, Steve said there had been a train crash. No details. We stopped at Target on the way home for my Rx. As soon as we got in the door, the phone was ringing: Jami saw on the news (in Georgia) that we had a commuter train crash, and she wanted to be sure I wasn't on it. She recommended I start calling family to let them know I was okay. She hadn't yet read my email about the crying meltdown over the weekend.

So, I called Ken first. He said, first, glad you weren't in that crash! Second, it was all just misunderstandings. I said I wasn't sure why I overreacted. He (being a guy) said let's just forget it. Also, he's going to see about sending us some money to put in savings just to have some breathing room, after our vacation next week (we're all meeting in Georgia). He's been buying cars, fixing them up, and selling them for profit. He said maybe this all happened for a reason, because now he knows just what kind of situation we are in financially and emotionally. He also said you can't tell tone of voice or hear intent in an email. I said we should all call on the phone more often. He agreed. I also called BJ, who was glad my talk with Ken went well. I called Mom & Bob, and Bob answered, and said he just saw it and just thought of me. I called Pat and left a message with whoever answered the phone. I texted Mike while I was on the phone, and he texted back that he was just about to call. I left a VM for my sister Marilynn, and she called right back. I called Lin on her way home from work - she asked casualty count, then said that would go up (she's a nurse). I texted Darla, who replied she knew I didn't ride the Red Line. I texted Sharon, and she called, just to be sure I was okay. I called Janet, who had no idea what was going on.

Steve's brother Jason had just called us the day before, Sunday evening. I didn't think to call him, but he called Tuesday during the day to be sure I was okay - wasn't that sweet?

Jami emailed Tuesday that she was sorry she hadn't seen my email before she called! She totally understood, though.

So - my Dr. prescribed something called Clonazepam. Half tabs. She suggested twice a day, but I'm only taking it at night. Drowsy right away. And chilled out the next day. I'll be taking it again tonight, but not tomorrow since we'll be hitting the road for Georgia.

CHIK-UN BIS-KITS:

Steve had the brilliant idea of having chicken cooked in the iron skillet (how else?!) over biscuits, with Frank's Hot Sauce.

Steve couldn't wait for me to get the camera.

Yummy Biscuit Goodness.

I also sewed my big sketchbook together over the weekend. I cut chipboard (heavy bookmaking cardboard) for covers. But I need to decide what I want on the covers, then cover them and glue them on. I'll finish it when I return from vacation.

My Birthday

So, my birthday, last Tuesday, was pretty uneventful. I took the day off, so at least I didn't have to go to work. We ran out to the mall. Went to Mike's for Tuesday Night Gaming. And Mike gave me a new game for my birthday. Rebecca made cheesecake brownies, put three candles in it, and they sang Happy Birthday to me. They had leftover ice cream cake from their daughter's birthday, so we had that with the brownies.

Monday me, Susanne and Tina went to have lunch with Sharon at her new job location again. She gave me a Kitchenaid blender for my birthday! We broke it in with chocolate milkshakes and avocado soup. Jami sent me a check for $100! And Mom & Bob sent me a check for $40! Yesterday, on the way home from work, I got off at Metro Center to go to Utrecht for some canvas and some Golden acrylic paint to try.

I'm working on a new idea for my art - need to think about it before I'm ready to write about it yet.

Plain Biscuits and Some Recent Gaming

Last weekend Steve wanted some biscuits. We didn't have buttermilk or cream cheese, but we did have sour cream in the fridge. He just wanted plain biscuits. So I used the New Way to Cook Biscuit Recipe, with sour cream and regular 2% milk. Not as creamy or fluffy as usual, or with the tang from the buttermilk, but they were still good. A bit plain, but still good. Mmmm, biscuits.

For recipe, see this post: http://klisaanne.typepad.com/lisas_day/2007/12/biscuit-recipe.html

Two Saturdays ago we played a game of Memoir '44, in honor of D-Day:

Nice shot of the board, yes the D-Day scenario.

Steve played the Americans (green) and you can see them surrounding the Germans (gray).

Ditto - see my Gray guy down in the town? We did a rematch the next day - the Germans lost both times.

This was the next day, when we switched sides and I played the Americans.  I played our favorite card. Twice. We use this as "All Out Offensive" from the Civil War hex game "Battle Cry" - meaning you move all your pieces on the board.

I played it, we reshuffled, and I drew it again. Of course, I had to play it again!

Yeah, it's hard enough playing the guys in Gray.

Last weekend we did a Heavy Gear battle - new rules, old models.

Here's the whole battlefield.

I don't know why it just cracks me up to take close-ups of minis tipped over. This is my scout, taken out by Steve's Big Guy (you'll see him in a sec...).

TARGET!

OOOF!

HEY! WHO TOOK OUT MY BIG GUY?!

You Bastard!

Yeah, laugh it up, Tough Guys! Are you even on duty?! Shoot something!

Giving Up on the Painting

I ruined it. Well, it was just practice. I kept futzing with the face - it just wasn't right. Not trying to make it "correct" - just more well, right, than it was. I know, I'm rambling. Then I ran out of yellow paint. Then I ran out of green. And the QBS plus white just makes pink. So I think I should just stop and call it failure.

Bah.

A Few Random Musings and Comments

That eviction the other day? Wasn't. Some guy died and his children were dragging their feet cleaning out his apartment, so the management just emptied it out. Steve got the scoop from a neighbor in the laundry room.

I get this daily art e-newsletter called Flavorpill. Through that I discovered a website called The Rumpus.net. A few weeks ago they posted a review of this movie called "The Girlfriend Experience." It's worth reading for a quote from a former porn performer:  "As Lorelei Lee points out, when her father expressed concern that she would do something she didn't want to do for money, that's what a job is." Ha! Amen. http://therumpus.net/2009/05/thoughts-on-the-girlfriend-experience/#author-bio

I was thinking about something last week, while thinking about my Bad Art Habit of correcting whatever I'm drawing and painting, thus ruining it. We watched a Bobby Flay Throwdown episode where it was a Wedding Cake Throwdown. He surprised this professional cake decorator giving a demonstration. The challenger made a fairly traditional wedding cake, professional, elegant, covered in smooth fondant, with sugar flowers, etc. Bobby's cake was amateurish, with real flowers, and frosting just slathered and piled on. The judges ultimately voted for the professional cake, however, re: Bobby's cake, they said they wanted to just dive right into it - a visceral response to something appealing vs. something clinical and correct. I respond more to works of art created viscerally vs. clinical and correct. And I'd rather create art like that.

A Few Random Meals

I took some photos of some meals recently, just because they looked so good:

Low Fat Kielbasa, steamed fresh broccoli, our favorite sushi rice.

Chicken cooked in iron skillet served over brown rice and fresh spinach cooked with some balsamic vinegar (hence the sauce) with some diced red bell pepper thrown in.

Cobb Salad with Blue Cheese dressing.

We made another covered Calzone, so I took a picture before we cut it. I'll have to add this to the Calzone post.

On My Walk This Morning

I'm typing this at my desk at work. I really wish I had a Blackberry so I could post when I'm out and about.

So, I'm crossing 13th at Q St, and there's always this line of cars, sometimes blocking the intersection, up 13th. This woman back in the line of cars pulled out and drove in the left lane (you know, oncoming traffic, but there was none so she can do what she wants), to turn left at Q St. There is a double yellow line, not that she cared.

Last night, on the Parkway, on the way to Mike's, this car swerved from the left lane to the right, then drove on the shoulder to pass a car on the right, because he had the nerve to leave proper braking distance in front of him. On wet roads, in the rain.

I really hate these people!

Back to this morning: on Q St, just before 14th, a suited couple are packing their kid into a stroller on the sidewalk. Maybe they are both lawyers, both wearing dark suits. The man says something like, "Bye, Dear," kisses his wife and walks away, and the trim little Suited Wife is walking in front of me, pushing the stroller. Now, I didn't mean to look at her ass, but she was right in my line of sight and the jiggling was distracting. She was wearing a very tight fitted charcoal gray suit, with spike heels. And I thought: Lady, are you even wearing underwear?! Maybe it was a thong. Ew. (If I had a Blackberry I would have taken a picture.)

Thankfully, I turned the corner and she crossed the street. I stopped at Whole Paycheck for some breakfast, because I both forgot and ran out of time this morning.

A Few Miscellaneous Comments, One About a Turkey

A couple weeks ago Steve said he saw a wild turkey in the grass, on Powder Mill Rd., just after exiting 295. Then I rode the bus in, because Steve took an antihistimine the night before, and I saw the turkey, too. He just looked like a regular charcoal gray and white turkey, with that red thingy hanging off his beak, picking along in the grass. I'm reminded of Gir: "I was the turkey all along! MEEEEEEEEEE!"

We haven't seen the turkey since.

I didn't sleep well last night. Not sure why. Kept waking up about every hour, turning over, then going back to sleep. Maybe it was the loud booming of someone's t.v. coming through the ceiling (sounded like they were watching an action flick on surround sound). Anyway, I'm tired. So, at U Street, one escalator is out. One is running, but it's going down. There was a mechanic at the bottom of the escalators, and one at the top. So I go trudging up the escalator, kind of slow because, you know, I'm tired. At the top, the mechanic gives me this odd smirk, then calls down to the other guy to start it up. And there is a crowd at the bottom. Yes, they've all been waiting on ME. One of the free newspaper guys said, "After you walked up all those stairs, THEN they turn it on?!" I said, "Well, at least I got some exercise." Which was good, since I reset my alarm at 5:00 am for 5:50 am - getting up to work out just wasn't happening.

I never mentioned that I moved my easel a couple weekends ago, from the space outside the kitchen to the corner of the living room. I'll take some pictures as I'm working. Now I can sit on the couch and look at my work, instead of backing into Steve, sitting at the computer.

I had some thoughts about giving up the Journaling Project, and I wrote them down, but never posted them. I finally started sorting the Memphis pieces again last weekend, pulling out the drawings, and the significant ones. Those pulled will go into the fireproof safes, the rest are expendable. I'm mostly done with 1999. When I get to 2001 Seattle, I'll start scanning and posting again.

I also need to get back to my photo scanning project, which got dropped nearly a year ago.

Gin Drink Survey

So, with all the free leftover Gin I got at work, we've been experimenting with Gin drinks. Our favorites are 1 part Gin to 3 parts juice. I browsed through my Bartending for Dummies book, noting anything that had Gin in it, also Dry and Sweet Vermouth.

NOTE: Sweet Vermouth is VILE! I tasted some in a spoon. Then mixed it equal parts with Dry Vermouth (a French Kiss). Ugh! It tastes like rancid maple syrup, with an aftertaste of beef. Steve pointed to the sink and I poured it down.

A Gunga Din Martini has Gin, Dry Vermouth and OJ. We like it better without the Vermouth, and with less Gin to OJ.

Dry Vermouth doesn't really add anything to the drinks, so we'll reserve it to cook with.

A Gin Fizz has Gin, lemon juice, sugar and club soda. I made lemonade, and skipped the club soda.

I don't think we'll buy more Gin when we finish the three bottles we have, but here are the drinks we like:

Gin & Lemonade

2 oz Gin

6 oz lemonade

Use recipe on bottle of ReaLemon Juice - 1 serving makes a little over 6 oz - 3/4 cup water, 2 Tbsp lemon juice and 2 Tbsp sugar - I heated it up in my metal 1-cup measuring cup to dissolve the sugar and then just let it cool.

Gin & Orange Juice

2 oz Gin

6 oz orange juice

Gin & Cranberry Juice

2 oz Gin

6 oz cranberry juice

SHAKE IN A DRINK SHAKER WITH ICE! SERVE IN CHILLED GLASS.

Last night I made us each a Gin & Lemonade with the last of the big batch of lemonade I made last weekend. Then I made myself a second drink with the measuring cup, just one serving of lemonade. I have a hangover today.

Gin & Lemonade.

Steve was having a Troeg's Pale Ale the night I was taking pictures, so I had to take a picture of his glass. We discovered Troeg's Pale Ale when we went to Gettysburg. It's one of our very favorite beers. http://www.troegs.com/