Drawing One Oh! One...

It's no coincidence that I didn't have any artistic talent prior to my discovering PhotoShop. Because I didn't. But then I got hooked on it and got this wild and crazy dream about going for a degree in Graphic Design. (no less!)

I've held off as long as I could on this ONE required class... But since I'm finally down to my last three I figured it was finally about time to go for it. But you see... I've never even been able to draw stick figures adequately! In my opinion, PhotoShop is a much tamer beast than the pencil!

So I'm now into my third week... and trust me, so far I've drawn a lot of junk! The first week was absolutely laughable! But at least now I've been given a few tools with which to make it all make sense.

A ruler... for one.

I think I've done about 15 pages like this so far. I've drawn, let's see...things from my kitchen drawer, my junk drawer, my yard, antiques, my bathroom, my garage, my lamps, my furniture, my basement, my guilty pleasures...pretty much everything and shoot, well, I'm still sure I've forgotten some. But they're all on the grading table right now except for this one, which I did this afternoon... of things in my refrigerator... which thankfully managed to meet the minimum number of 6 required items...



It's really strange how I'm now looking at everything I see...wondering how I can draw it. The whole concept of drawing is bizarre though. It's amazing how we don't ever really see things the way they really are. You really have to LOOK! So, hopefully, if I learn nothing else from this class, that will be an important concept that I can improve on.

Here's my first ever "Still Life"...


And another one... using "the ruler"...


I'm trying really, really hard to be positive and hopeful... even though I only got a C+...

It's Finally Here! The Weekend Forecast!

I actually thought maybe I'd dreamt it or something...






Single available at iTunes.

And if that wasn't enough of a Benji fix... check out this trailer for his movie Leading Ladies. This movie is currently only being shown in select Film Festival venues... but keep your eyes open because it's getting amazing reviews!

Hmmm... Wonder if I have the nerve to drive to Champaign, Illinois on September 25th...

I Wonder How Many Others Might Be Out There...

So somehow I got tagged in a photo on FaceBook from an old friend from my theatre days who, as it appears, had this picture of me that I'd never seen before. I don't know why that seems so strange. I guess I figured I'd seen about every picture of me ever taken...

I mean, pictures are pictures. And usually I just try to avoid being IN them as much as possible (unless of course Daryn has just finished doing my hair)...

I DO have a scrapbook... and my theatrical career is definitely preserved in it, enabling me to relive it over and over whenever I want. But seriously, when a new picture like this one surfaces?... well, it's like I never even lived it before... until now. And then I get to live it again for the very first time.

Does that make sense?

Anyway... I just LOVE this picture! Because there is just SO much going on in it!

In other words... it's pretty much a "Word Bubble's" dream!...


L to R: Me, James Bontempo, Rita O'Connor, Stephanie Eley, Tracy Shayne, Mikhail Baryshnikov, Jamie Torcellini.

And speaking of the devil.... this just in!...


L to R: Tracy Shayne, Gay Marshall, Sachi Shimizu, Wanda Richert, Jannet Moranz, Rita O'Connor ~ Pre-recording for "Baryshnikov On Broadway."

Wow! I guess it's true about how if you build it they will come...

Fast Forward to September...

Ok... well August sure flew by!

Had a great time at the Clay/Ruben concert and my seat was excellent. Only 6 months to go until I see him again in Ft. Wayne! But this time with a Meet & Greet... courtesy of my friend Julie! I know, I know.... I'm suppose to be over him. And I am, for all intents and purposes, but a M&G with my best Clay buddies? Well, you're just never too old to look forward to being 14 again. And I am SO looking forward to it!

Anyway... here's how I spent my last week of August...

* Co-hosted a baby shower for my youngest daughter...

Isn't that just the most adorable diaper cake ever? It was made by my older daughter, who is expecting twins and hopefully didn't bemoan the fact that she was giving all those diapers away.

(Here's a pic of my two preggie daughters.)

No intended disrespect directed towards that wonderful miracle of motherhood, but honestly?... it really is a cuter word than "pregnant." Don't you think? And aren't they cute?

* Attended a pseudo family reunion at Aspen Grove (near Sundance) in Utah. I call it pseudo because there were really only about a dozen out of... a lot of family... who were there the whole time. Most people came and went, or showed up for a day... or a night. But it was still fabulous! One of the most relaxing weekends I've had in ages and I thank my mom so much for doing all she did to arrange it.

Here are just a couple of pics... Ok... nevermind. There are too many. If you want to see 'em you can go here.

*I went along for crib, big girl bed and BIG car shopping!

*Spent some good quality time with my folks and was able to show my mom for the 125th time how to save photos to a folder on her computer.

*Ate WAY too much... packing it away for those lean winter months.

*AND I got a totally awesome backwards arm hug from granddaughter Jade...

Which in itself, was almost worth the price of the plane ticket.

But oh, I forgot to mention the thing about Marzipan (my ever so fat kitty) and how just before leaving for a week realized he hadn't pooped in like well, forever. And he eats alot! Anyway, lets just say that heaven reserves special places for friends who are willing to step in at the last minute to help out our furry friends in those kinds of moments of crisis. And so thanks to Cheryl, who dealt with carting him back and forth to the vet multiple times in my absence, along with the aftermath... Marz is now still an ever so fat, but totally regular, guy...

And now it's September, but it feels like October. We just had a cold front blow in and I'm already mourning the passage of summer.

School busses start Tuesday... but my bus is already running. My drawing class began last week. I know you're all waiting with bated breath to see what I come up with...

Only problem is... I can't draw.

No, really.

So this should be a really fun Fall.