Foovay’s Cauldron

Archive for January, 2009

WWEEEEEHOOOOOOOOOOo – I am in print! You can buy your very own copy of The River Way in softcover right here, right now

Journey down the river and through a life, mystical and real, observing the wildlife and the river, and considering human life, abuse, homelessness, inspiration, and survival. Join Melanie as she takes The River Way to a new life.

Summer Fey Foovay

Amazing Rhythmic Gymast Bulgarian gymnast Boyanka Angelova at the 14th European Championships in June 2008.

Hmm, doesn’t look like I can actually embed this video – but you really have to go and watch. My jaw was on the desk the whole time. I’ve always wondered why there isn’t more attention paid to rhythmic gymnastics here in the U.S. I think there is some sort of concept that it is too near dance, too beautiful, to be considered a “sport”. No one gets hurt, and it is pure pleasure to watch whether you are an expert or just someone off the street.

Rarely do I get all worked up and excited over a new sponsor, but ReflectMyLife.com is so in line with my own beliefs and practices that I was jumping up and down when I got their approval. ReflectMyLife.com sells t-shirts with affirmations on them, in mirror writing. Every time you peek in the mirror, or the big plate glass windows on a storefront, you can’t help but remember your affirmation. They have some cute panties that have “I’m sexy” type affirmations, too! It’s like this – I would buy their products, so I’m pretty thrilled to be able to offer them to you here. You’ll see their ads in the right hand column of the blog. And here’s a text link to get you headed over there NOW: Start Living the Life of Your Dreams

I was also approved for another sponsor that has some special niche dating sites for; the goth scene, bikers, fitness freaks, single parents, and people who love tattoos! But I admit it – the ones that really caught my eye were Date A Millionaire, and just to be fair, Date a Gay Millionaire. Now who could resist THAT idea? So you’ll see some buttons for them to the right, too – although I really signed up more for the adult blogs, of course.

It’s just about time for me to go do the evening feeding. We are having one of those really windy days. I was outside earlier filling the water trough and noticed the horses were swaying with the wind gusts, never mind little old me. That’s when I saw this lovely lenticular cloud formation, with the cirrus clouds swirling high above and behind it. I am fairly pleased with this colored pencil drawing of todays New Mexico sky. Something finally clicked in my head and I “reverse drew” the cirrus. Instead of thinking of the shapes of the clouds, the shape of the blue sky around them is what I worked on drawing. I think it turned out fairly well. It’s nice to have my scanner home finally and be able to just scan this into the computer.

Well, I certainly didn’t want to miss the Monday dance anywhere (I do it on some of my other blogs, too) but I must get on out there and feed. Most of the rest of the day will be spent making ATCs to catch up for the weeks I took off after the last blast of negativity. I must say, that in contrast to the one person who was so mean – several have written to express their sympathy and support, as well as to offer private swaps. There are a few series of swaps I wanted to stay in that I think I shall. I may host a few for inchies and/or digital work only. Other than that, it’s private swapping for me.

Gotta go!

Summer Fey Foovay

“Our greatest glory is not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall.”

–Confucius

I am just whelmed. I thought I had a perfectly manageable to do list for the day, but every little task has some all but insurmountable obstacle to be moved first. Sheesh. My ability to concentrate is non-existant. Head-desk.

I do have some pretty cool news. I discovered entirely by accident, a website using some of my coloring page images without credit or a link or permission. I wrote the typically nasty note threatening lawsuits (I hate to be that way, but polite requests are usually either ignored or laughed at) and they very kindly removed the images immediately – with an apology. After some more visiting, they added a link to Color-Your-Own.com and I gave them permission to use the line drawings on their products. So let me just give a shout out to Peternity.com. They create some very nice products to memorialize pets who have left us for the rainbow bridge. Which is a laudatory sort of thing to be doing.

I remember just hours after my beloved Griffin was killed, a good friend called on the phone to find me in hysterics. When I tried to explain why, after a befuddled moment he said, “But he is JUST A DOG”. I hung up on him and didn’t answer his calls for several days. He finally got hold of a mutual friend and when he explained what happened – she hung up on him. LOL.

It’s nice to see the world changing a bit with the recognition that to many of us the loss of a pet is equivalent to the loss of a dear family member.

Speaking of loss, I’ve spent a good part of the day destroying since creation didn’t seem to be happening. That is, I’ve deleted the many Squidoo lenses I have had for years that have never earned a penny. Okay, a few that I took down have earned 10 cents or so over three years time. The lensography still needs to be rewritten, and believe it or not – I had planned to make a new lens today.

I just have to see good sense. People are not interested in well written on subject articles, they want shopping lists. Since I don’t mind making lists of coloring books and stuff for horse nuts, when I have time and patience (just three easy steps my fat ass) I’ll do Squidoo lenses for those subjects.

Yet another good and kind person has written me from swapbot in inquiry as to where I’ve disappeared to and why I left her swap. After I explained she was quite distressed over the situation. She has asked me to stay in her swap, offered to set up a private swap, and banned the person who created the problem in the first place from the original swap. I can hardly ignore that, and the fact that I’ve met some lovely people. At the same time, I have to find a way to protect myself from the negative people. This has always been my problem in Internet communities.

I’m too nice . Isn’t it funny, that in real life if you messed with me I’d be right up in your face – but online I give you the benefit of the doubt. I know it is a “flat” medium, so things can easily be taken the wrong way. I appreciate the effort ANYONE makes on a swap – even if when I get it I…well…don’t get it. I always suspect people who are complete pussies in RL have this vicious alter-ego online where they can get away with it, without having to say it in public and to your face (where you might deck them).

Of course, having my art attacked hits a nerve, or is a “trigger” as the PTSD terminology would have it. Still, if someone in RL has something rude to say about my art, I am perfectly capable of defending myself and walking away from it. If the critisism happens to be true – even if done in a vicious way – I try to improve, correct, etc. Okay, I may obsess for a while, but not like I do over this online stuff.

I was trying to figure it out today – and I think the difference is that if you attack me online, it is as if you attacked me IN MY HOME. Because I am in my home, in my little haven on the desert, when I read your ugly words. I cannot glare at you, hit you, or even walk away – you are right here in my lap. Sure, I can go to another site, another online task or community – but I know you are there like the great white elephant sitting in the living room that everyone is pretending isn’t there.

I have been known to strike back. And I can be far more ugly, mean and vicious than just about anyone. I learned from the best, most cruel, manipulative, clever and outright evil abuser on earth. But I don’t want to be her, and I don’t want to feel like I am turning into her. (Bad enough I can see her in the face in the mirror as it is)

Dammit. I think this is still what is “wrong” with me that I cannot get my shit together and get anything done. That things bloody well resist me. You know, I turn on the computer and it freezes, I walk past a table and everything on it throws itself to the floor, I turn on a light and the bulb pops and burns out. I set out to do one little thing and everything in the world resists me.

I HAVE been getting my daily yoga done. Patpatpat. Not so good on the art, but I haven’t missed a lot of days. Usually it happens when I intend to do it “later”…

Well, I tell you what – I’m going to muddle forward with my todo list and just possibly tomorrow have a list of great new stuff for you to run and look at.

Blessedbe

Summer

The River Way cover design

Guess what I got today! The cover design for “The River Way”. I love it! We are thundering down towards a real publication – real print.

*doing a happy dance*

So, yeah, that made my day!

Summer Fey Foovay

The dogs had a fit and got us up early enough to feed the livestock and settle in with a cup of coffee to watch the inauguration.  They obviously knew it was too important to miss.  I do believe it is the first one I have ever bothered to watch all the way through live.

It is a bit of a special occasion.

The commentators are saying nothing about Barak Obama’s speech was memorable.

Here’s what I remember.

“The nation cannot prosper long when it favors only the prosperous.”

The board at Haliburton and a few thousand other ugly rich old white men – as I call ‘em – must be pissed.  And worried.  They should be.

“The question we ask today is not whether our government is too big or too small, but whether it works  … Where the answer is yes, we intend to move forward. Where the answer is no, programs will end.”

A few thousand government workers just fainted.  Holy shit – you mean the program has to WORK?  We were just here to siphon government money off to ourselves and our buddies.

A few thousand more are jumping up and down, full of ideas that will get their program to do what they hoped to do when they joined the civil service, that is serve the civilians of this country.

“To those leaders around the globe who seek to sow conflict or blame their society’s ills on the West, know that your people will judge you on what you can build, not what you destroy.

Or in the short version – Karma Works.

And one more – with a beautiful visual;

To those … To those who cling to power through corruption and deceit and the silencing of dissent, know that you are on the wrong side of history, but that we will extend a hand if you are willing to unclench your fist.

Not a threat of war, but an offer of peace.

To end war – you must spread peace. He didn’t say “we’re gonna bomb you into the stone age” but that (more or less) “we’d rather be your friend, if you can accept that we expect you to treat your people fairly”,  Beating people down will not make them stop hating and envying you – helping them up will.

Overall, I very much liked the tone.  That as individuals, with hope and inspiration and by taking personal responsibility we can turn this country around.

Speaking for myself, I feel a hope and renewed faith in this country that I thought was gone for good.

From we can, to we WILL.  I know we can, and I hope and I think that just maybe – we will.

Blessedbe

Summer Fey Foovay

Wow – it’s Monday isn’t it? Not that I am not having a great day – but from the moment I approached this computer…slow is hardly the word for it. Made finding us a Monday dance kinda difficult – but isn’t this a little charmer?

Otherwise, I’ve been doing well. Done my daily yoga, adjusted some scheduling so things will work better, and stepped outside to enjoy this deliciously warm day with balmy breezes while I did my daily (more or less) drawing of the sky. Obviously, I’m still learning – but I fell in love with this beautiful fluffy cloud that looked just like a fox tail right over my head.

This is on 18 x 12 paper (I bought it JUST to do sky paintings and drawings) with oil pastels. Wow – I haven’t used these in forever. Here’s something you don’t see me doing often:

Instead of drawing with the pastel stick, this is actually blue scraped away with the palette knife to expose the white paper below. This wispy little cirrus clouds really do look like that.

I also sort of accidentally discovered this:

Some bits had crumbled off the white oil pastel. I placed them strategically on the paper and then crushed them with the pallet knife. They made an interesting little patch of color and texture that wasn’t quite right for this cloud – but would be just perfect for the “duckling” clouds we often get. I’ll have to remember that…

Anyone want to buy me a big pad of pale blue/grey paper with a bit of tooth?

By the way – if anyone wants to purchase the daily art, contact me and we’ll work something out. Since I’m mainly practicing and playing with different things, I don’t really consider them “work for sale”, but if you see something you really want let me know.

While outside today I had the good luck to see a Mourning Dove. They are one of my favorite birds, both for their beautiful, plaintive little song and for their wonderful soft colors. If I have time later, I may see if I can capture those in a digital painting. These doves don’t live here year round. Generally they pass through this time of year for a few days. It’s easy to miss them by taking for granted that any dove is one of those Eurasian Ring-necked doves we have so many of year round.

I heard the Great Horned Owl last night – but it was much too cold to be meandering about in my robe outside and he wasn’t visible from any of the windows. It is always such a thrill to see him.

I have a list of things to do today and several projects in the works, so check back this week to see what’s new.

Blessedbe

Summer Fey Foovay