cobaltika

it was a working weekend, but i did manage to get out of my chair and go for a walk with my camera today. there were some nice flowers, but it is still not quite spring. the tulip trees were already passing, after a freeze earlier this week, but i wanted them anyway. i also saw a dessicated eagle’s head by the railroad tracks. i’m pretty sure. i will have to ask the poet if he agrees, before i make an ass of myself publicly, though. then i came home and had a cooking spree. 2 pans of spinach lasagna, 1 for the freezer, 1 for next week. then i made migas with Organic Sprouted Corn Tortillas and a salsa with avocado. that is what we ate tonight. then i played with my pictures. as soon as i upload the proof of the magazine, we are going to watch a film- Age of Innocence, which i seem to have missed. then i get to go into my bed, which i love and look forward to each day.

it really felt strange to sweat today.

abandoned school : nortonville KS : march 2008
(a few more on flickr, upon clicking image, if you like)

more images from the little nortonville excursion. these are of course, tricked up a little in photoshop, using a texture layer, as i have seen many people doing lately to “vintagize” images. ok, i just wanted to play with it, too. these are the first images, that it seems like it really works. for me, anyway. for fun, i just printed some, on nice photo paper, and they look awesome, if i do say. sometimes i forget to print things, just view them on screen, and am so delighted to see Real Images.

not very much artishness going on this week, although i did work on my new book a little last night. i like it, but it seems to look like everything i do lately, which isn’t *bad* exactly, it is just i keep wanting to try to grow, try new things, and it seems so easy to slip right back into a comfort zone. grrrrrrrrrr. i’ll be fucking thomas kincade if i don’t look out. although i guess if i could rake it in like that, for doing the same thing over and over, i wouldn’t whine for long.

i realize i have been doing this online journal thing for seven years, as of this month. i have a seven-year itch, that is for sure. i have simplified it down to the point where it is rather boring, even to me. perhaps i need to throw in more bizarre personal events and/or thoughts. or naked pictures again? (snicker!) i don’t know! i don’t think i will be dumping my journal, but i might restructure. i will probably stay on livejournal, because there are so many people i like and have “known” for so long. even though so many of them seem to have disappeared (sniff). the community thing is nice. comments are easy, so that a conversation can occur almost. and i like being able to filter personal posts, though i don’t do it very often. but i like my *real* journal on my site, too. i keep resisting making it more bloggish, with everything on the front page. everyone’s blogs look alike now, it seems. i would like to do something outrageous and rebellious. and i wonder about opening comments up? would anyone speak? or just spammers? even though i do this for me, as a personal documentation, and a creative work, too, interaction is pretty nice.

i even have a blogspot, which i like, but only use for posting cheapcam shots and for linking to all the blogspot people i like to read. but i don’t think i will turn that into my real journal, even though it is handy as hell.

mostly i just do NOT want my journal to turn into a walking advertisement for my etsy, ebay or stuff i’m selling online. sometimes it starts to feel like that. kick me! sometimes i long to just write and write, like i used to, but funny, it doesn’t Look Right without an image any more? yes, maybe some rebellion might be in order …

another week another dollar. finally the weekend, although a working weekend. i see i will have to trim my nails. clack typo clack. i did not carry a camera this week, although i will pick up some film today. i worked at the artTable on a book one night. i managed to water my tiny seedlings that are arising from the earth and planted some more. last night we had a Big Date - to hear Emerson String Quartet. i discovered them when i was searching for some music to enchant my poet on a road trip, distract him from 10 hours in the car. i know very little about classical music, but could tell they were tight and had a good reputation. when i saw they were to appear at the Lied Center, i showed him the brochure and asked if he thought it sounded good. he read the program of music to be presented and almost squealed. so i was determined we should go, despite ticket price. and we did. and it was quite lovely. we *do* need to get out more often!

today is free books at the library. salivate.

i have thought of a way we could go to costa rica. or *somewhere*. peace corps. no. i’m not kidding. i’ve considered it off and on for years.

onward.
there is already too much sun for working on the computer. and i am behind. uh-oh.

off to texas tomorrow and probably not much time to document my little life between now and then. much to do. it will be a quick and dirty road trip for this warrior. images will be made i’m sure and i will be so happy to see my small girl and my family. and texas. already having a bit of travel anxiety. as always. and an envelopment of the nostalgia that always comes over me when i am there. a longing to stay combined with an irritation at the reality of texas. all those cars and people. *and* i must leave my poet home. sob. i will miss him. but the coming back will be much easier. i saw a huge red-tail hawk on campus this morning. up close.

much to do. much to do…

bye!

two chairs on a porch : north lawrence ks : february 2007

walking around observing things and making photos is sort of an addictive activity, like exercise. endorphins are released. when you don’t do it, you become rather cranky. as i have been this past couple of weeks. funny. after playing with film and toy cameras, using a digital can seem rather ho-hum. until one wanders to a new neighborhood. with new (and desperate) eyes. on a finally-warmish day with beautiful light.

more here