TMi

Ask me what I did in 2017.  I can tell you that I got a big raise. I can say I was on international TV. I  took trips to New Orleans and Montreal, Canada. I spent some time in L.A.  I performed on stages. I made stop motion videos shown in an art gallery...  I can also say that my body was artistic all on it's own. It   grew a tumor. This thing appeared overnight in February. It itched occasionally. It was something I could actually feel change inside my skin. For a little while I even thought it might be a parasite.  Since It was located on my chest I, naturally, went to have it checked out at a 'boob clinic.'  The woman who 'saw' me went on to make backhanded insinuations that I was overreacting. I guess, to her,  I was just behaving like so many hysterical women who come running into the clinic and waste time fussing with every little thing. Because they read too much on the Internet.  Yeah. This super...

Put your best foot forward.  That would be my left one. Yeah. I actually know which is my best foot...   I had hoped December would have been more of a month of reflection. It's just been another month of tackling challenges.  I've started in early on a resolution to have pretty, princessy feet for next year.  So it's twice daily foot spa and once daily pills. Crazy strong pills. No alcohol and no other medications for me! I will be missing out on a New Years Eve toast, but what is that compared to having presentable, non... non- contagious, healthy toes? This month also brought me inconclusive lack of news.  I am still waiting on some medical test results.  Sending samples off to the lab before the holidays is never a good idea. Two weeks crawls into three. They should have just told me I wouldn't have results in hand until next year, but that sounds like a long way off, right?  December gave me s...

{photo: google search- scintillate events} Are you ready to welcome the longest night (northern hemisphere) / day (southern hemisphere)? It's December 21st, if you've been confused by the rest of the holidays during this general time of year. I know, there are several to keep track of. What ever you are celebrating this season do it with gusto . There's this Spanish guy called Al.. A l Gusto .. It's a bilingual pun... # sorry not sorry And so while you and Al Gusto get along famously, I  would like to also wish everyone awe. At least one moment of it. Some awe.  Yes.  Awesome. Be in awe that you have lived in your body long enough to witness such times- Such injustice. Such brilliance. Such mediocrity. Such loss. Such exuberant joy  - (Because there was that one time... Remember it?) Look at those around you with a sense of awe. Remember those who came before and those who traveled ahead of you with awe. Be in awe of know...

{outside of Tipitina's there was this communal work of art: a staple and flyer encrusted telephone pole} I am still processing what I experienced in New Orleans. And I'm jet / time change - lagged. So I'm not really processing. I'm just tired and coffee compensation is giving me a headache. Maybe I am trying not to get a cold. Hugo and I were in New Orleans for one week (only one week!) and it was the best trip we could have hoped for: the city was celebrating Halloween, the weather was like New England summer time, food and drink were deliciously bountiful, rest was attainable, music was everywhere, and yes one could get their work done. I am so thankful that the Mexican consulate was able to arrange for us to stay at the Joan Mitchel Center . This is a note for artists especially: Check this place out! If you find a way to utilized this space, do so! It is a piece of artist heaven in the middle of Treme. My mouth was hanging open just a bit when we shown a...

I thought the parade was done and over. I had gone inside to charge my camera battery. But then my ears heard more noise. I dashed out again with my mobile and caught some video. I cracked up my friends by describing the style of Mexican music you can hear in the video like all the musical compositions and arrangements are constantly tripping and stumbling over themselves, all over the place. It is like listening to a pack of clowns. Or maybe I've just grown up watching too many cartoons. (Also note: Banda tuba is the sexiest, most romantic tuba you will ever hear. 😆 ) If you look really, really closely at the second video you can see a line of cowboy hats in the distance heading onto a side street. I bet they were all going to go ride on the beach! How much more craziness would that have been?!

Yeah, yeah the independence day parade got me all excited. I was not planning to take pictures whatsoever, but then I found myself fumbling for my camera as the trumpets started blaring. Who would be able to concentrate on anything else will all that racket any way? I bounded out the door like a five year old. To try and capture the larger scope of the event is generally stupid, so I worked more with the zoom function to see what smaller moments I could catch. Lucky for me, I didn't need a tripod when I had a metal gate to steady my little camera. Stuck behind that gate, I chose to work with that limited perspective. It yields interesting results when you don't muscle your way in to get that 'perfect' shot. I tried being quick about taking shots but the camera was not as fast as the action. And I would have lost time finding the right settings. This was another limitation I had to work with. All in all, I feel happy with the results. It was good to take ...

13 February 2017 We are parked again now. A spot closer to the water than the first. The beach was one of our destinations after all. I  wasn't sure. There had been talk of beating the traffic.  I know so little of LA traffic. We walk down to a  cove. A hidden gem.   It is easy to find a place a place to unfurl a blanket.  Young teen girls, blonde, still fair skinned, athletic- California to the core- play pyramid and splash in the surf. I wonder at their two piece suits and that they are not in school.  Older folk, more clothed, sit and let the sun dissolve their thoughts.  In time, both of my companions strip and aim themselves at the waves.   They let their bodies be jostled by the water giant.  Content with my notebook and pen, I do not go be laughingly drowned. I turn my back to the sun. Under my hat,  I feel rising heat tug the water out of me.  A man sits topless and cross legged in the dry sand to...