Thought I might start blogging random blog things here from time to time. Today I was going to do a list of current favorite actors, but as much as I love looking for pictures of hot men on the internet, I thought it would eat up too much work time- I’m really only on break at the moment.

You know, being an artist is all I ever wanted to be. There was nothing else. Well, I dallied with the concept of ‘Famous Rock Guitar Goddess’ but after a televised gig when some guy found my name, phone number and wanted to buy the boots I was wearing, I thought, “nah. I’m not even famous, and I’ve got a stalker? No.” But the artist thing- I made up my mind at the age of three that was what I wanted to do. And I’m actually doing that. Not being hugely successful yet, but at least I’m doing it. I really am.

One of the challenges continues to be structure and time management. Never having been a terribly organized being, I have always prided my discipline at hitting deadlines. But to help myself, I’ve become an avid list maker. Lists everywhere! And I do actually carry a planner. Me. ‘The Original Unplannable One, carrying a daily organizer. HA!

Another challenge is the Up/Downness of the workload of being a freelance anything – how to properly use the down time when it’s slow, but also deal with the stress of the crunch times that can squash you like a bug. The thing about crunch phases is keeping the light airiness of creativity when a clock is ticking at you telling you to GET IT DONE!!! I’m dancing between the crunch phases of a project right now- rushing to get comps out, soon to be followed by a more demanding crunch of twelve full color complete illustrations in four days. And here in the eye of the hurricane, I wait for ‘approval’. And the inevitable list of REVISIONS. Ah, yes. Revisions. Where my artistic vision, and the artistic vision of another creative type collide in a Jackson Pollack sploosh of blobs. Nah, it’s not THAT bad. I hope. ^_^

Lovely discovery yesterday. The Doodle has fleas. I don’t know where he got them -he’s an indoor dog almost exclusively, so I’m stumped. But it doesn’t matter, he’s got ‘em. It was Miss E who discovered them- he’s a black dog, and spotting fleas on a black dog is a bit like finding marshmallows in a blizzard. So now what? That’s on my agenda now- flea cures. Medicine, baths, rug shampooing, and of course bombing the whole house. Loverly.

In the good news department I made a discovery at the gym yesterday. First off, let me say that for the last month, I have noted with chagrine that my mid section is…’poofy’. Big and poofy. Uncomfortable. So, I started getting to the gym regularly again. At least three times a week. But still poofy. I want to say that there was a time when I had an itty bitty waist. I did. But after birthing two ten pound kids, going through a divorce and the ongoing stress of the post-marriage garbage, and of course AGING, these have gradually contributed to eroding wasitline.

But it was kind of scaring me, because my scale read the same. “Huh? My clothes don’t fit, I feel like Shamu, but I weigh the same?” I started feeling a bit of alarm, and allowed it to stress me out. This went on for weeks. Finally, I weighed myself on a proper scale at the gym. And guess what? I’ve gained TEN pounds over the last year!! TEN FLIPPING POUNDS! I haven’t gained that much eight in years. Now, normally something like that would be a disappointment to a normal person, but me- I actually smiled. ” I’m just FAT. There’s nothing wrong. I need to quit eating so much and to kick some butt and get rid of it.” Ha.

I also read about how coffee (which I have started drinking WAY too much of) can increase cortisol levels, which are going to be high already if you are over forty and stressed. *waves hand in air- that’s me! That’s me!* So no more coffee. Boo hoo. Oh well.

So- it’s four-five trips to the gym a week, no more coffee, lots o’ water, six little meals a day, and doing my meditation EVERY day. It’s just fat, after all. Fweesh. More on this later. Right now- gotta get flea killing things.

~B