tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-54159467616079931402024-03-27T16:53:49.978-07:00jwm's world famous blogmusings, ramblings, stories about bikes, cats, dope, all kinds of stuff...
JWMJWMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05564732483476859555noreply@blogger.comBlogger277125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5415946761607993140.post-69320408074696263102024-03-17T08:10:00.000-07:002024-03-17T08:13:36.378-07:00Is Anybody Home?<span style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><br /><div style="text-align: center;">Is Anybody Home?</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUGn2phQGHoeEqcWgxwpmssMvN5Q_bQ3LPMT1i8kGP8FsO70YQaWjYbrW4GQpMtRWM1Db40iwJL9He6rwYhW419rNB7N6ddBqP32aPghANmKcK2YF6ATmIiTREY2tTtjvHMoEUVSVfJC8vD2-5j2DmQU-SZTnx9GllFeAIL6qatVlZ_jhQNuOkUMY77Zc/s5184/IMG_7871.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="5184" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUGn2phQGHoeEqcWgxwpmssMvN5Q_bQ3LPMT1i8kGP8FsO70YQaWjYbrW4GQpMtRWM1Db40iwJL9He6rwYhW419rNB7N6ddBqP32aPghANmKcK2YF6ATmIiTREY2tTtjvHMoEUVSVfJC8vD2-5j2DmQU-SZTnx9GllFeAIL6qatVlZ_jhQNuOkUMY77Zc/w400-h266/IMG_7871.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;">(above: a chunk of rock. below: Rat Fink)</div></span><div><span style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0oUQmRke_8uUySgThtSsd4sQJtih_thZtdWtylafKj5II0AoQLhVY9A7MLYLSoujxrDm2xS2bTQTmJF2ciPBW6dcIgUkCgFGL49GQNI9L8l4qVkoPkj-e0efFIZzxfqK-k6QTSGCZiVkTOR8pL_PoGnTvASKRPFLs157mp7714tdagZXvR64ULu3sdVk/s800/00ratfink%20copy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="603" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0oUQmRke_8uUySgThtSsd4sQJtih_thZtdWtylafKj5II0AoQLhVY9A7MLYLSoujxrDm2xS2bTQTmJF2ciPBW6dcIgUkCgFGL49GQNI9L8l4qVkoPkj-e0efFIZzxfqK-k6QTSGCZiVkTOR8pL_PoGnTvASKRPFLs157mp7714tdagZXvR64ULu3sdVk/w301-h400/00ratfink%20copy.jpg" width="301" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><br />(Rat Fink has nothing to do with this post. Just found the pic, and got a kick out of it.)<br /><br />Well, it looks like a month has gone by without a post. Good thing nobody depends on this blog for an update on current events. Odd. When I do the daily tour through the various sites I have bookmarked, I don't have a problem coming up with a comment. When I drop by The Meow, I enjoy trading notes on the small events of daily life, but when I sit down to write here, I go blank. I don't want to get into politics, religion, or current events, and I haven't felt much like writing about the stone carving, or The Lost Canyon Project either. It's easy enough to come up with stuff that gets me angry, or keeps me angry, but that's back to politics and current events.<br />And, truth to tell, I've been in a state of out-of- sortedness lately. I can place much of it on the sad and sorry state of affairs in the nation, and the world at large. I will not, and do not need to go into particulars. We're all living the same age and time. We're all staring down the barrels of the same uncertain future. It's easy enough to blame a bad frame of mind on things external; you can always find something to get depressed about if you look for it. Even if you don't have to look far.</span><div><span style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: x-large;"> And close to home, here in my own small world, stuff has been quite good. This Monday, the 18th, I'll be showing The Lost Era film at the Whittier Central Library. Luz, over at La Habra Art Association wants to arrange a showing in La Habra, and one in Fullerton also. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: x-large;">My own work is being featured at the <a href="https://www.ahmadshariffgallery.com/" target="_blank">Ahmad Shariff Gallery </a>in Claremont. Sunday, Mary and I are attending an opening at the Sasse Museum in Pomona. I'm getting a lot of good feedback on the stones. All to the good. And my domestic life is as good as it could be. Mary and I have a very easy relationship. There is peace and love here at home. Tranquility, and all that. Much to be grateful for.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: x-large;">I'm finally getting my strength back after being ill this last summer, and I'm putting in ten to fifteen a day on the red cruiser. </span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzqerIUyww88DNKz0fUEtH9sLKP1EaEVUkDhws4K5JVpCLqRRdEh0aExeGCY-uepvJswfvhQHUy3fnacoinw65XMP2WH41s2c-UJfFa2XC7mLtYIuOklvXtIpyVuFa0fmPHDMZ1rvngZo21jeZBF4b8GNY107fDtohmo7OL48oBZKGhpXkHFiitUs5YAw/s3456/IMG_3676.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2304" data-original-width="3456" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzqerIUyww88DNKz0fUEtH9sLKP1EaEVUkDhws4K5JVpCLqRRdEh0aExeGCY-uepvJswfvhQHUy3fnacoinw65XMP2WH41s2c-UJfFa2XC7mLtYIuOklvXtIpyVuFa0fmPHDMZ1rvngZo21jeZBF4b8GNY107fDtohmo7OL48oBZKGhpXkHFiitUs5YAw/w400-h266/IMG_3676.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: x-large;">Not bad for an old bastard. But despite being accutely aware of how richly I've been blessed, the blues remain.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: x-large;"> So anyhow, let's take a look at the stone project. I started this back on December 23rd. Of course, I lost a lot of days to bad weather, and sheer weight of this chunk of rock forced me to change up my way of working. Normally I begin by grinding the face off of the raw stone with the angle grinder, then cutting a flat base, then taking the time to plan out a form, and draw the cut lines out on the clean rock face. With this one I had to just start in with the chisels, and see what happened as it happened.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: x-large;">As it happens it's turning out OK.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: x-large;">Just as a reminder, here's what we started with. One hundred twenty five pounds of Anza Borrego Desert:</span></div><div><span style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGNerTuRWsMBqTXZDLUmnZEfW1eDu_Gp7IWAi32aeDVTIGxsD6XIuYzwdGeLUMWyDeJx834A7Tzl3E3-F98g97UTbfy20vWambb6TJQNhdjRypPZrbeeNs8pTYMgkgnYfD1AZHmRSctJaDpWPC_i73seO5YPy4bCgA5Wh_vzGs7b0oowkU1MIVky41_1Q/s5184/IMG_7860.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="5184" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGNerTuRWsMBqTXZDLUmnZEfW1eDu_Gp7IWAi32aeDVTIGxsD6XIuYzwdGeLUMWyDeJx834A7Tzl3E3-F98g97UTbfy20vWambb6TJQNhdjRypPZrbeeNs8pTYMgkgnYfD1AZHmRSctJaDpWPC_i73seO5YPy4bCgA5Wh_vzGs7b0oowkU1MIVky41_1Q/w400-h266/IMG_7860.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgio9JKBHrRritW4aw50AFmyNvrsbdEA5F0Ui36aU26-cN75VQYhBVIq8PkOU36YJ1HycPsxjmR03J8rzaplAAJA1sL2lnIOUDB3vjy5dt7la4hyRRfEImB0HfekLK_tmS1GMkRK-BydPgmlHPJFG-mnxpWp4TX_SLagz2TRDrSIIFosnCtA7g2LtM1Nao/s5184/IMG_7862.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="5184" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgio9JKBHrRritW4aw50AFmyNvrsbdEA5F0Ui36aU26-cN75VQYhBVIq8PkOU36YJ1HycPsxjmR03J8rzaplAAJA1sL2lnIOUDB3vjy5dt7la4hyRRfEImB0HfekLK_tmS1GMkRK-BydPgmlHPJFG-mnxpWp4TX_SLagz2TRDrSIIFosnCtA7g2LtM1Nao/w400-h266/IMG_7862.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: x-large;">And here's where we are, now:</span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgs9cWq9QpjGEEuu1NdYy7tgEFYRH8a3hk7Qs5yrS-49__fnYmxHUQpdYvG94oKLWKavpTu1gLQlbJG__Yvz9lun1bIQsHl8bQAM0thdH6f-rbUG5J3g1M12EUbkxnU2y_CSks_7AHTUtnbm7U3SxW7iwE9tlvAFZmgFT0mnV6f4D4793B0Jr1_fsilqhc/s5184/IMG_7997.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="5184" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgs9cWq9QpjGEEuu1NdYy7tgEFYRH8a3hk7Qs5yrS-49__fnYmxHUQpdYvG94oKLWKavpTu1gLQlbJG__Yvz9lun1bIQsHl8bQAM0thdH6f-rbUG5J3g1M12EUbkxnU2y_CSks_7AHTUtnbm7U3SxW7iwE9tlvAFZmgFT0mnV6f4D4793B0Jr1_fsilqhc/w640-h426/IMG_7997.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCIUsTro36KBUpcX13tQ6tdaFjzfO74JlZSRUTHP0awCnVJq6vpfHu4KdZCoj4bSi-OlZXZ4rgW-zPJri_wFJUxHWEQ2EXvkTzaIHyuKAKuwj6uFtJ4udKpsMKaJT7GD-GOoeH3sD7DrPcIOZ17v-_MTl-MjzGLZdrRs2QbMnXamf75VpiDM5upIjphIQ/s5184/IMG_7998.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="5184" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCIUsTro36KBUpcX13tQ6tdaFjzfO74JlZSRUTHP0awCnVJq6vpfHu4KdZCoj4bSi-OlZXZ4rgW-zPJri_wFJUxHWEQ2EXvkTzaIHyuKAKuwj6uFtJ4udKpsMKaJT7GD-GOoeH3sD7DrPcIOZ17v-_MTl-MjzGLZdrRs2QbMnXamf75VpiDM5upIjphIQ/w640-h426/IMG_7998.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: x-large;">Challenges of Anza Borrego alabaster- the amber right side with the spiral is much harder than the silver side on the left. I was fooled by all the red on the face of the raw stone. The only red in this piece is a thin layer between the silver material, and the much harder amber stuff. That's it: the little red line on the base in the above picture. Most of the stone is silver gray.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRkW7IX44qRVj-YJxuy37d_rtKJ9Nso0wqOSdenHaLQMGHJRq25a8FMKe7mLGLq6a2JRisSrR9WeJAFXvtSM-Idsx88BRrBEA6VTN2fmUZyViDdx30vHKHaeq_M-IhnPowmzP4KqRDJuHN1rLFTl8ydqDpJ0KmyC5IYjnedrJI1xA22pyqTUBuZnjNZTk/s5184/IMG_7999.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="5184" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRkW7IX44qRVj-YJxuy37d_rtKJ9Nso0wqOSdenHaLQMGHJRq25a8FMKe7mLGLq6a2JRisSrR9WeJAFXvtSM-Idsx88BRrBEA6VTN2fmUZyViDdx30vHKHaeq_M-IhnPowmzP4KqRDJuHN1rLFTl8ydqDpJ0KmyC5IYjnedrJI1xA22pyqTUBuZnjNZTk/w640-h426/IMG_7999.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div><div><span style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: x-large;">More work to come on that opening. It's going to extend to under the heart shaped piece in the center.</span></div></div><div><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgn4KBAHmfEllxXwhTkvV8NCu2ikpG4RszdHtQu4yvi7Pi-RQOFoJB_UavSHwjMbezWln81bt0G0O-AyakFYnUIh23UYpbIRFn6HcLseHUQ9A77-H9vTMsaihqjL-_R6utQHgEXT9ScA9tbW5Wk-CxFKWsuNrex2qv4cjqkR29lemO5_8_gFQWScpjpCr4/s5184/IMG_8000.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="5184" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgn4KBAHmfEllxXwhTkvV8NCu2ikpG4RszdHtQu4yvi7Pi-RQOFoJB_UavSHwjMbezWln81bt0G0O-AyakFYnUIh23UYpbIRFn6HcLseHUQ9A77-H9vTMsaihqjL-_R6utQHgEXT9ScA9tbW5Wk-CxFKWsuNrex2qv4cjqkR29lemO5_8_gFQWScpjpCr4/w640-h426/IMG_8000.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNdvk-G2WL6VzBDPPxqgU24iCUJ5jSk0LKUPIc0JDB1hL8IR7wkoF16QKiEhXo37qb5xMovuPzitVpVT1JGOoqHdz2nCmhDlLWLWDLAWNtPBq7MULK9QRVpYZsPVxwxaJiGJo2ZYNPJ8AXdkX0fYrUM5RCGViMbsd0oHA9iFG9pW7tR-QsXdwrVm4XYhg/s5184/IMG_8002.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="5184" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNdvk-G2WL6VzBDPPxqgU24iCUJ5jSk0LKUPIc0JDB1hL8IR7wkoF16QKiEhXo37qb5xMovuPzitVpVT1JGOoqHdz2nCmhDlLWLWDLAWNtPBq7MULK9QRVpYZsPVxwxaJiGJo2ZYNPJ8AXdkX0fYrUM5RCGViMbsd0oHA9iFG9pW7tR-QsXdwrVm4XYhg/w640-h426/IMG_8002.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: x-large;">The next major step will be deep drilling into that flat oval face. The pencil line marks the hollow. How deep will it go? Not sure yet. Like everything, it's a matter of keeping it up until it looks right.</span></div></div>JWMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05564732483476859555noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5415946761607993140.post-65521597990460505452024-01-20T16:51:00.000-08:002024-01-20T16:51:20.128-08:00The Part Where Some Stuff Happens<h1 style="text-align: center;"> <span style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: x-large;">The Part Where Some Stuff Happens</span></h1><div><span style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: x-large;">Several days of staring at the stone delivered nothing in the way of ideas or inspiration. I was just stuck.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: x-large;">So. I got out the tools, and did stuff that needed to be done anyway. Much of that consisted of tapping away at the stone above the cut lines at the base of the sculpture. Breaking the scrap away left me with some shaping, and cleaning up to do. Then I needed to shave down the face of the bulbous section on the lower 'front' side. (see pic #2) I don't use power tools, and there are some drawbacks to that. There was a considerable amount of material to remove, so I got out the wide point chisel. The point chisel is a pain to use with alabster. Alabaster cuts easily, but it scars easily, also. A 'bruise' appears as a white splotch or stripe along the line that the point chisel cuts. It can take some serious finishing work to get the bruising out.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: x-large;"> But doing the necessary work, and the follow up has moved the project along. Here's where we were at the beginning of the week.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-MkeFe0IZi6yeE0PN4dSVGsudM3qWtq_y9SoyiwoNxBJQVVc4TrGYJigKXyobBRXcqDLR0doczyoaO9jLCiWhGlW3qo-TrtiNIJ6FcQA5ZjKmjmYo5E2xpwbx7x-A7tV4OxvpM_x7r_bqTAwd-431ODwmoFKbuvh3EeEwKzbVf4hmS0CdoGerVFsbqbQ/s5184/IMG_7969.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="5184" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-MkeFe0IZi6yeE0PN4dSVGsudM3qWtq_y9SoyiwoNxBJQVVc4TrGYJigKXyobBRXcqDLR0doczyoaO9jLCiWhGlW3qo-TrtiNIJ6FcQA5ZjKmjmYo5E2xpwbx7x-A7tV4OxvpM_x7r_bqTAwd-431ODwmoFKbuvh3EeEwKzbVf4hmS0CdoGerVFsbqbQ/w400-h266/IMG_7969.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSQnE4IkwA00XVh3xmUs3-rFaFEg-q29EVyzTNvTl6yUew8VQHHJmHGW4Vq9xnRGTwG0q883TRPmCbzbLAJ8XE5N_3Rp1wSzIMw3cWozn4wkfHZYKeDB_PNDgN4WupBCiNK-pQ8NO2piDZWfqmmRttk7ejDDqxnbvreGL7y85QgEAVxRfCo23KlCxil30/s5184/IMG_7971.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="5184" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSQnE4IkwA00XVh3xmUs3-rFaFEg-q29EVyzTNvTl6yUew8VQHHJmHGW4Vq9xnRGTwG0q883TRPmCbzbLAJ8XE5N_3Rp1wSzIMw3cWozn4wkfHZYKeDB_PNDgN4WupBCiNK-pQ8NO2piDZWfqmmRttk7ejDDqxnbvreGL7y85QgEAVxRfCo23KlCxil30/w400-h266/IMG_7971.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDorayu_OOKAtdPY4A9UVSY0cWiHVY5-SxcR5A1Y1Y0lr6ypX2QsDOj39ya511gQqMpdRRwTpNq5jm-zQPUVDagB7ix9-Ty_5QAvHjRSIRh8R89rAvYBYuC0EBTUQJ_dAqaNwQ4WDfOSym-21upr7rr9BekwYRwbNszXoXKFoiSBlWf4NLID2NW7m3DoE/s5184/IMG_7972.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="5184" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDorayu_OOKAtdPY4A9UVSY0cWiHVY5-SxcR5A1Y1Y0lr6ypX2QsDOj39ya511gQqMpdRRwTpNq5jm-zQPUVDagB7ix9-Ty_5QAvHjRSIRh8R89rAvYBYuC0EBTUQJ_dAqaNwQ4WDfOSym-21upr7rr9BekwYRwbNszXoXKFoiSBlWf4NLID2NW7m3DoE/w400-h266/IMG_7972.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLV1CSNZitNIY1KEhQaVQ9YoFOQT85H8ef2dhN-8N37TzcmoXTf09XKBkPGZFHssjbXbwjrNsA9_Fo9CAy0AFpvKVVy6tCB_9IfEZkDL1gjYNtx6NPUIa6kjpNcqbZx0kvVd3zcNCQ4BCzbab9EGjOmp11kGeNTHVg8ij3kxKouYmeD4YeB8oAx-5E644/s5184/IMG_7974.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="5184" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLV1CSNZitNIY1KEhQaVQ9YoFOQT85H8ef2dhN-8N37TzcmoXTf09XKBkPGZFHssjbXbwjrNsA9_Fo9CAy0AFpvKVVy6tCB_9IfEZkDL1gjYNtx6NPUIa6kjpNcqbZx0kvVd3zcNCQ4BCzbab9EGjOmp11kGeNTHVg8ij3kxKouYmeD4YeB8oAx-5E644/w400-h266/IMG_7974.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: x-large;">I had planned to cut into the blue line in the top photo. The idea was to cut deep into the stuff inside the "C"-shaped area, and separate the sort-of pyramid shape on the right side of the second picture into a wing, bifurcating the whole 'back' side of the stone. But I held off on the shaping work, Monday, and instead gave some much needed attention to the surface irregularities all around the boulder. There is a reason that clearing those pits, gouges, and lumpy areas is normally the very first thing to do. By the end of the session, much of the surface material was acceptably smooth, but the 'wing' idea didn't look as good as I thought. Time to take a long second look, and maybe change direction.</span></div>JWMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05564732483476859555noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5415946761607993140.post-66680217456051955902024-01-05T17:20:00.000-08:002024-01-05T17:20:11.072-08:00The Part Where Nothing Happens<span style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><b>The Part Where Nothing Happens</b></div><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDxzVn6bwblfn7VN0YHfs4ggiIBlIX9AQShvTHN26yJ1SzsFdl5YgmNXjTdqO9QjZBwXPm5Ce1sSYgo8wjMPXko9MYtpcZYlK_FJzy8BSqLZWY-kI0D4Op9WRuhg86G3LJK6D7P3yZ98nMs1vvuy1dnwgJo9SFx0MswcuPqy5GpJKTCOZGeUR4Uhi2ke4/s1555/IMG_7870%20copy.jpg"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDxzVn6bwblfn7VN0YHfs4ggiIBlIX9AQShvTHN26yJ1SzsFdl5YgmNXjTdqO9QjZBwXPm5Ce1sSYgo8wjMPXko9MYtpcZYlK_FJzy8BSqLZWY-kI0D4Op9WRuhg86G3LJK6D7P3yZ98nMs1vvuy1dnwgJo9SFx0MswcuPqy5GpJKTCOZGeUR4Uhi2ke4/s320/IMG_7870%20copy.jpg" /></a><br /><br />We've been here before. I made the base cut, and started taking care of that overhang. There was a lot of material to remove. Some of it came off with the bow saw; you can see the nice clean-cut faces. <br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6JIXsUwevieeaO9-A4cYXniTGsmpo7jfLGcVjpVhzSirA743YzXpqxM72o9Uv3BAvBjZQRXfgIAQw4rz-5gr1RizWTbWjWkHJbU5MAjgSSBJLF9s-UwUlULxkS_FvxFlfn3hlMOEmAojPNjLCve8jz-LrZJT7_b7EkY9JVOcydOh_KnxR0aRF7wYr_sY/s2074/IMG_7951%20copy.jpg"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6JIXsUwevieeaO9-A4cYXniTGsmpo7jfLGcVjpVhzSirA743YzXpqxM72o9Uv3BAvBjZQRXfgIAQw4rz-5gr1RizWTbWjWkHJbU5MAjgSSBJLF9s-UwUlULxkS_FvxFlfn3hlMOEmAojPNjLCve8jz-LrZJT7_b7EkY9JVOcydOh_KnxR0aRF7wYr_sY/s320/IMG_7951%20copy.jpg" /></a><br /><br />The piece in the middle broke out with a few blows from the point chisel, and was unexpected. That's one nice thing about doing a free-form, abstract work. Losing a big chunk early on doesn't change the plan too much. Sometimes it can actually help the project along.<br />And, of course, there are problems and concerns. I thought that the thin red band running across the stone would make a nice feature on the finished work. But that thin red layer is soft, and mushy. And the rock is cracked along that soft red line. You can see it continuing up into the stone on the left.<br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYBZ1AqE3OXden8pmpxGhaFvSmfisgFpeL7b5WWhq_e9Ca0384FUI6iN62fP1btjTXJW4iGVyBwsB2AWgE0Eako8pyG5Bt-ZEipOCDZesQmETq-uKF6vubjQ9tQqqe31O3i_wEaemqe-7bMczJ0l7SFtN94IQSymjQNJl2w76iLMMqEVc3Wvg1bvVgHLI/s2074/IMG_7891%20copy.jpg"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYBZ1AqE3OXden8pmpxGhaFvSmfisgFpeL7b5WWhq_e9Ca0384FUI6iN62fP1btjTXJW4iGVyBwsB2AWgE0Eako8pyG5Bt-ZEipOCDZesQmETq-uKF6vubjQ9tQqqe31O3i_wEaemqe-7bMczJ0l7SFtN94IQSymjQNJl2w76iLMMqEVc3Wvg1bvVgHLI/w400-h266/IMG_7891%20copy.jpg" /></a><br /><br /><br />Now, with alabaster, there are cracks, and there are breaks. Cracks are just a feature of the material. Breaks are, well, breaks. The stone could easily split in two, or have a major chunk just fall out. So what to do? I considered just going ahead and trying to split the rock along the crack, or sawing it in two along the line. But that would mean cutting away a good third of this piece. Another consideration is that the material on the top side of the crack in the above picture, and the flat face in the photo below is some really beautiful clear amber stuff. <br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5j_SvMrE2ej8jv6f44x6yeXVSIZcQF1AJsKeP_p_9LLeavh3nzIAlBzXxCKattXYTHqU1IPlrF8qB1XezR3tX3NSX_RBzCME_iGWThO3b9aFCaaqqkIHFpdRdVyPxNKg28SFYD3C35BRR2StD9GoCDJjAJxvyLDgZqp6Gh0F6Bze8Nd4ltOGeATUTesw/s2074/IMG_7905%20copy.jpg"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5j_SvMrE2ej8jv6f44x6yeXVSIZcQF1AJsKeP_p_9LLeavh3nzIAlBzXxCKattXYTHqU1IPlrF8qB1XezR3tX3NSX_RBzCME_iGWThO3b9aFCaaqqkIHFpdRdVyPxNKg28SFYD3C35BRR2StD9GoCDJjAJxvyLDgZqp6Gh0F6Bze8Nd4ltOGeATUTesw/w400-h266/IMG_7905%20copy.jpg" /></a><br /><br />Splitting or sawing could result in two separate projects, or it could mean that all that clear stuff just ends up as scrap. Either way it's a gamble. Finally I decided to flood the crack with Starbond, and forge ahead. Next was to clean up the rough edges, round out the ragged faces, and get as much of the stone smoothed out as I can. The smoothing out is usually the first thing to do, but this is still more rock than I can lift. <br /><br />So here is where the project goes into the part where nothing happens. A good part of the job consists of merely staring at the stone. That's what I'm doing. <br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5Pa5QRW1crYTMBKTlv8zuUdmrqJsJSfSbXHpfjf49gkAL-OVkneUKSRSTiEjhyLI-xeEaXma2bAO47PT9-210sHLWOCo2rl6bFoXuStpu17zrRa__jq3s_AVygb-aLVySExjmIjJa12ZElzkH2bi5X3HpF66xgIcxoZ7FBGFrCESYIw3JAC5AHpb8GT4/s2074/IMG_7905%20copy.jpg"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5Pa5QRW1crYTMBKTlv8zuUdmrqJsJSfSbXHpfjf49gkAL-OVkneUKSRSTiEjhyLI-xeEaXma2bAO47PT9-210sHLWOCo2rl6bFoXuStpu17zrRa__jq3s_AVygb-aLVySExjmIjJa12ZElzkH2bi5X3HpF66xgIcxoZ7FBGFrCESYIw3JAC5AHpb8GT4/w400-h266/IMG_7905%20copy.jpg" /></a><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcK-9kF_Dx4PpPqh0y4rBedPjVB5nxNisCMKB9YMz0XGihly8Y1ETyrC51rJgHlCzAJRfh2JDjOzDNmuDRTn7OQAqUXEFDtm4EHnalHeN1KL_HEVXF4XKZCor2YEFKRu0iPGc-PagkpaRz6w8n9PnBbtXDjxhyphenhyphenQECRIg3nAXrUzVnv5WgDmhMtBj46YaI/s2074/IMG_7907%20copy.jpg"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcK-9kF_Dx4PpPqh0y4rBedPjVB5nxNisCMKB9YMz0XGihly8Y1ETyrC51rJgHlCzAJRfh2JDjOzDNmuDRTn7OQAqUXEFDtm4EHnalHeN1KL_HEVXF4XKZCor2YEFKRu0iPGc-PagkpaRz6w8n9PnBbtXDjxhyphenhyphenQECRIg3nAXrUzVnv5WgDmhMtBj46YaI/w400-h266/IMG_7907%20copy.jpg" /></a><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirc-IxqzeGkuDMdfsaXLphzCOYpVJUqBVMDlkEHAkQ9TJEnNJZzebSWrnu-I7J9kHKeVVFS-j1uxg1fp35bJ3OhEU9MHIs3sezWEyw5A82Omlk-eyrpcrs-QCGsJkEx3u3hpAbzky03QQzQbHQXwkBDP8TrCwfU9P5PoIzEDgBeUvYqFrWxxce5ojjcBc/s2074/IMG_7935%20copy.jpg"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirc-IxqzeGkuDMdfsaXLphzCOYpVJUqBVMDlkEHAkQ9TJEnNJZzebSWrnu-I7J9kHKeVVFS-j1uxg1fp35bJ3OhEU9MHIs3sezWEyw5A82Omlk-eyrpcrs-QCGsJkEx3u3hpAbzky03QQzQbHQXwkBDP8TrCwfU9P5PoIzEDgBeUvYqFrWxxce5ojjcBc/w400-h266/IMG_7935%20copy.jpg" /></a><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHTzFrmAgN58sON6ngXWOHQ6FXBAHme5QiM_R_U2s8nQ0I2NVc-1Ce3eevFlzlqV0mDZzDHfyafV1jxYoXs8DjLC7bPu8ENth-5DbDa88gUWvb_aoIi7SGJh1kEhZOoACD5BH-cpm5ta_3hwqOmmA-5v1LbJO_EhFF8EyqiExK4ct8JvgwhIeJl09Nz3M/s2074/IMG_7938%20copy.jpg"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHTzFrmAgN58sON6ngXWOHQ6FXBAHme5QiM_R_U2s8nQ0I2NVc-1Ce3eevFlzlqV0mDZzDHfyafV1jxYoXs8DjLC7bPu8ENth-5DbDa88gUWvb_aoIi7SGJh1kEhZOoACD5BH-cpm5ta_3hwqOmmA-5v1LbJO_EhFF8EyqiExK4ct8JvgwhIeJl09Nz3M/w400-h266/IMG_7938%20copy.jpg" /></a><br /><br />But I still don't see. It is frustrating. I am still running on very low stamina, not much energy, and little or no inspiration. The work just seems like work, and I feel like I'm trying to boil a gallon of water with a cigarette lighter. I try to keep in mind that some of the best work I did in the past began with weeks of staring at the stone until the lights went on. I am not so confident, now.<br /> <br /></span><br />JWMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05564732483476859555noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5415946761607993140.post-23190839567717876362024-01-04T09:39:00.000-08:002024-01-05T15:49:46.937-08:00F'art class<p><span style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></p><h1 style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: x-large;">F'art class</span></h1><p><span style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: x-large;"> <span>"Why did you bring this to school?"</span></span></p><span style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><span face="Roboto, sans-serif">The kid shifted around on the hard chair in the principal's office. He looked at the floor, and did not answer the question.</span><br style="box-sizing: border-box;" /><span face="Roboto, sans-serif">"Do you know what this thing can do? You can injure someone with it, put out an eye, and leave someone blinded for life. People have been killed with these things."</span><br style="box-sizing: border-box;" /><span face="Roboto, sans-serif">The kid continued to stare at the floor. "I wasn't going to hurt anyone with it, I just wanted to make a picture."</span><br style="box-sizing: border-box;" /><span face="Roboto, sans-serif">"You have your pad for that. All you have to do is tell it what you want to see, and it makes it perfect for you. Did you think you could do better?"</span><br style="box-sizing: border-box;" /><span face="Roboto, sans-serif">The kid felt a spark of anger, and looked up at the principal holding the sharpened rod in her fist. "All the kids have perfect pad pictures of perfect dogs and cats," he said. "I wanted one that I made myself. I don't care if it isn't perfect."</span><br style="box-sizing: border-box;" /><span face="Roboto, sans-serif">The principal replied, "You can do that at home on your own time. Here at school we do things the right way, so no one gets hurt. What if your picture was better than someone else's? They'd feel bad about themselves, and it would be your fault. You don't want your friends to feel bad, do you?"</span><br style="box-sizing: border-box;" /><span face="Roboto, sans-serif">The kid's spark of anger kindled into a flame. "I don't have any friends here, and I don't care if the other kids feel bad. I can make my own dogs and cats, or whatever. I don't care. I don't care who likes them or not."</span><br style="box-sizing: border-box;" /><span face="Roboto, sans-serif">"You don't care?" The principal had her victory. "People who don't care about others are not nice people, are they? I think maybe you need some time out so you can think about what you just said. I'm suspending you from school for a week."</span><br style="box-sizing: border-box;" /><span face="Roboto, sans-serif">That flame of anger became a light in the kid's gut. "Good!" he shouted. I hate this place anyway. Make it two weeks. And give me back my damn pencil."</span></span>JWMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05564732483476859555noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5415946761607993140.post-68669849715261913362023-12-18T14:30:00.000-08:002023-12-18T14:33:34.618-08:00Some Trouble at the Gate<h1 style="text-align: center;"> <span style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: x-large;">Some Trouble at the Gate</span></h1><div><span style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: x-large;">Saturday we did our Christmas party. It went quite well. Almost all of our friends came over. The house was full and noisy, and there was a bunch of food. The problem with playing host is that I seldom manage to get enough to eat at these gatherings. It's go here, talk there, go for a bite, but wait! Something or other needs done, and before I know it the evening is over, I'm dizzy tired, and I haven't stopped moving all day.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: x-large;"> </span></div><div><span style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: x-large;">Then typically, I find I'm too keyed up to sleep despite being all tired out.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: x-large;">So my tank was less than half full when I went out, and got to work on the big rock Sunday morning.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: x-large;">The task of the day was simple enough. The stone has a good flat surface for a base, but there was a drill scar that ran about three quarters of the way across the flat bottom. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgllP5Y5ISeheG9RPsPUHegD9HJK6lNluSrnkcRCleIm6xy8PIXAofJi56U6ehuGEFrTf1BJWFjo8oFY8vd9kGriL6Jh7y3ZEZRd3FAmZqoOiGOodcDETgGpgbVcwJ71R7Tlgujffsms-A5YnjKSSIwV7wUqNXE_URaZO9bLN2VXKX501d-qKBz1gMmgws/s2592/IMG_7869%20copy2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1728" data-original-width="2592" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgllP5Y5ISeheG9RPsPUHegD9HJK6lNluSrnkcRCleIm6xy8PIXAofJi56U6ehuGEFrTf1BJWFjo8oFY8vd9kGriL6Jh7y3ZEZRd3FAmZqoOiGOodcDETgGpgbVcwJ71R7Tlgujffsms-A5YnjKSSIwV7wUqNXE_URaZO9bLN2VXKX501d-qKBz1gMmgws/w400-h266/IMG_7869%20copy2.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: x-large;">I had shoved the rock around so that the drill scar lined up with the edge of the patio pavement. Even with part of the base hanging off the edge the stone sat stable. Today's task was to eliminate the drill scar, and chisel away enough stone so that I could run the base line around where I cut the material away. This would leave some rock hanging out over the edge of the base, but I figured I could work with that easily enough.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: x-large;">Didn't quite work out that way.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjecajr1mrMrajAiJcPBrCJHrwtBjJAaUZksZP2dPy1nKu_45GYG-XkqFrh5Y9ATOiX0sExE30GeCtFURa22bCPaethrWnQe1NfQIci2IPcaM5UfVoC5ASlbdLdKv-7XTrmxItB8kfDdgD65C1fww8bGQUMnyooeqTAN065RvSFArS8l31hu2yRoS69u0E/s1555/IMG_7870%20copy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1037" data-original-width="1555" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjecajr1mrMrajAiJcPBrCJHrwtBjJAaUZksZP2dPy1nKu_45GYG-XkqFrh5Y9ATOiX0sExE30GeCtFURa22bCPaethrWnQe1NfQIci2IPcaM5UfVoC5ASlbdLdKv-7XTrmxItB8kfDdgD65C1fww8bGQUMnyooeqTAN065RvSFArS8l31hu2yRoS69u0E/w400-h266/IMG_7870%20copy.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: x-large;">The rock still sits flat and stable, but to my eye, there is just way too much material hanging over the one edge of that base. I under-estimated just how much overhang there would be. It does not make for a pleasing form.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: x-large;"> </span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiM4eFQ-2NYi2W-IRbYNGFlf84PSHNwkW14wCSa5COrMrBBhcybrksh5CdkQ5DaufHAd2RMyRfZHiXYYHQy97sRntIEJEvU8cMZBxP9Hen4tuivBMCrQoET-AHsKwzIrupavbAQR-pr-1MQTcAu9Be7FgcUmoXQG8g-A1dRu3fvKLJxkyshVXwNaDPQvCQ/s5184/IMG_7871.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="5184" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiM4eFQ-2NYi2W-IRbYNGFlf84PSHNwkW14wCSa5COrMrBBhcybrksh5CdkQ5DaufHAd2RMyRfZHiXYYHQy97sRntIEJEvU8cMZBxP9Hen4tuivBMCrQoET-AHsKwzIrupavbAQR-pr-1MQTcAu9Be7FgcUmoXQG8g-A1dRu3fvKLJxkyshVXwNaDPQvCQ/s320/IMG_7871.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: x-large; text-align: left;">This isn't the first time something like this has happened, and I've always found some way to correct an awkward basic shape.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgvAuu4TQ_n5aSdvodl9OJNWi15ZZhboPK9Djayn2xn9CT4jBVKn4TtnJ-P4aSdqF0GZUSSRYlSfc4KHJnWWNRzVJqAYcAsAHSCARPhkLaiFuXUIYRK5jpbtVYmRsENFGLscZky9sS5DIFuB1ui1KqM1di2BDy3TG72N41ubMq8NjFGJEF5WgNlkxhrwo/s1555/IMG_7873%20copy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1037" data-original-width="1555" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgvAuu4TQ_n5aSdvodl9OJNWi15ZZhboPK9Djayn2xn9CT4jBVKn4TtnJ-P4aSdqF0GZUSSRYlSfc4KHJnWWNRzVJqAYcAsAHSCARPhkLaiFuXUIYRK5jpbtVYmRsENFGLscZky9sS5DIFuB1ui1KqM1di2BDy3TG72N41ubMq8NjFGJEF5WgNlkxhrwo/s320/IMG_7873%20copy.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: x-large;">But along with my greatly dimished level of physical energy has come a dimished level of confidence. It feels like a major fuck-up. I shoulda' known better, planned better...</span></div><div><span style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: x-large;">But, like I said, this is not the first time I've made a less-than-perfect move. I've got some ideas. It'll work out.</span></div>JWMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05564732483476859555noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5415946761607993140.post-66440443543283156962023-12-16T15:40:00.000-08:002023-12-16T15:40:04.502-08:00And So It Begins<h1 style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: x-large;"> And So It Begins</span></h1><div><span style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: x-large;">Wednesday, December 13, 2023 </span><span style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: x-large;">I wrestled the big rock out of the pile, and got it propped up at the bottom of an eight foot long ramp of 3/4 inch plywood laid over a robust length of 2X6 board. But that was as far as I got. The rock weighs 125 pounds. I can drag and shove it around the ground, but I do not have the juice to lift it. Nor did I have the juice to work it up the ramp to the tabletop. I had to wait for Thursday when Juan came by to take care of our lawn. Even so, it did take the two of us to get the rock safely up on the table. Here it is:</span></div><div><span style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9ebJ6q5B7LypUHGJckd878LGB94bTKT3uwiUoV__ddQno2HYpff2Xn84z0T233Y7-sv2EL_C_WcIO6grVGjTW-Xn3ooTUj9OywBpSiocTYXPoy4qjGVKNmH3Pabgg9zBs0oXpogSkA0Ss0DPrZ2hSueAKVvnbM7aKv_lQWPlFa6DpTcR3JNgI92AzFCE/s2592/IMG_7860%20copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1728" data-original-width="2592" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9ebJ6q5B7LypUHGJckd878LGB94bTKT3uwiUoV__ddQno2HYpff2Xn84z0T233Y7-sv2EL_C_WcIO6grVGjTW-Xn3ooTUj9OywBpSiocTYXPoy4qjGVKNmH3Pabgg9zBs0oXpogSkA0Ss0DPrZ2hSueAKVvnbM7aKv_lQWPlFa6DpTcR3JNgI92AzFCE/w400-h266/IMG_7860%20copy.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: x-large;">And now I'm faced with a new set of problems, in getting this project underway. Ususally, the first step is to grind the surface of the rock smooth with the angle grinder. But that would mean picking it up off the table, and taking it out into the yard... No can do. Same with setting a flat base. The rock does have a flat surface, but, again- it's too heavy to do what I usually do.</span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZtZrTrRtzwH7EPX3wWx0ADIkDoZT5cFjy4Y4hXa8cHloJ3pOCGk9mgAn-WT7w4m_ammrh8GwDxkpWA9kuikYA2Lp3GqV4C8dUVwI3ToUwBWZtrqdVkTxrY7ja1m9_cqAF0UU6bOMDFctlcmG6zDaw5O-kIZXGxw-HMl2-UNwQJzHpN0OZ8CpLbyd4n_w/s2592/IMG_7869%20copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1728" data-original-width="2592" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZtZrTrRtzwH7EPX3wWx0ADIkDoZT5cFjy4Y4hXa8cHloJ3pOCGk9mgAn-WT7w4m_ammrh8GwDxkpWA9kuikYA2Lp3GqV4C8dUVwI3ToUwBWZtrqdVkTxrY7ja1m9_cqAF0UU6bOMDFctlcmG6zDaw5O-kIZXGxw-HMl2-UNwQJzHpN0OZ8CpLbyd4n_w/w400-h266/IMG_7869%20copy.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: x-large;">So the first few steps are going to be fairly big excavations. You can see the drill hole at the left end of the base. That hole runs almost all the way across the width of the stone, and it's going to mark the outside edge of the base cut. I already tried sitting the stone flat with that straight drill line hanging off the edge of the pavement. It's quite stable, and will make for a nice, roughly round foundation for the sculpture. There's going to be some serious rock-breaking, and<span> heavy work with the bow saw, and point chisel coming up. Once I've cleared about thirty five, or forty pounds of rock away, I'll have something a little easier to manipulate.</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><span>This is going to be a long series. It's Friday night as I sit here typing, just putting a cap on a long day. Today was lost to housework, because tomorrow, Saturday, we're doing our Christmas open house/potluck thing. Maybe Sunday I can strike the first blows on this monster.<span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span> <span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> 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</span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div>JWMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05564732483476859555noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5415946761607993140.post-27167006829611024512023-12-11T19:17:00.000-08:002023-12-11T19:17:43.903-08:00September Stone on the Shelf<h1 style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: x-large;"> September Stone on the Shelf</span></h1><div><span style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: x-large;">I just don't know what it is with me and titles. Most writers want a catchy title to pique readers' interests. You know- just a hint at the content, and maybe a teaser that there is going to be something titillating somewhere in the story. I just throw up whatever stupid thing pops into my head, and in this case, give away the whole plot before the first sentence is even written. So try to guess what this post is going to be about. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: x-large;">Anyway, here it is.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: x-large;">Here's how it started:<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRQKNKa56eB0YdxVYfbZUyDT9UXUyRHyIynQV-2yGaKwFiWan1KtWfu9m9PE5bS49FCMGPpRaOd-1GSZpFRB61o7wnR1zKf9xw1yLua8uxIdpCteqq_2TdvtDLli-NJZ67nWFn9u1xIqOLTpqD84LORmVT9xN750-b2UUtB2B4PFqwQz5oDDNY70SXR4U/s5184/IMG_7801.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="5184" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRQKNKa56eB0YdxVYfbZUyDT9UXUyRHyIynQV-2yGaKwFiWan1KtWfu9m9PE5bS49FCMGPpRaOd-1GSZpFRB61o7wnR1zKf9xw1yLua8uxIdpCteqq_2TdvtDLli-NJZ67nWFn9u1xIqOLTpqD84LORmVT9xN750-b2UUtB2B4PFqwQz5oDDNY70SXR4U/s320/IMG_7801.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpsqk0w3L6WWl5KcsrGXIHrn-TZaApxzBsTKS1H493vt36dVWvR5IBxHqEaY-KukBr0Z2EHlm8xwDyoFNF6JqyyeMuJx32is6xvcjioc6TbB9J3r0taQriyceTaDh3guhHqjTb12n1LYTgZaCVqG_JuzET_y-_7H8V6tiW3FT4UXK3DuGOxzgfzNKXCag/s5184/IMG_7798.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="5184" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpsqk0w3L6WWl5KcsrGXIHrn-TZaApxzBsTKS1H493vt36dVWvR5IBxHqEaY-KukBr0Z2EHlm8xwDyoFNF6JqyyeMuJx32is6xvcjioc6TbB9J3r0taQriyceTaDh3guhHqjTb12n1LYTgZaCVqG_JuzET_y-_7H8V6tiW3FT4UXK3DuGOxzgfzNKXCag/s320/IMG_7798.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcFS-48c97esUcqThDXuHqP3SY1lKTf8BI71TboLR9hHy5ftQP2WwAw7mJch11Jy4o2pnb5qGCb2J97FvhSS_zcuNxCyyeJKovZXVD1ivxHpnH4e_7z9jLLo5ua2RiPRuVxHjC3YlNDFVjRacWLoLEWT0SMC7MXYTuHpBQzlaoHIrnwq3yZiEJQDoezXA/s5184/IMG_7797.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="5184" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcFS-48c97esUcqThDXuHqP3SY1lKTf8BI71TboLR9hHy5ftQP2WwAw7mJch11Jy4o2pnb5qGCb2J97FvhSS_zcuNxCyyeJKovZXVD1ivxHpnH4e_7z9jLLo5ua2RiPRuVxHjC3YlNDFVjRacWLoLEWT0SMC7MXYTuHpBQzlaoHIrnwq3yZiEJQDoezXA/s320/IMG_7797.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPwxc5U7AKSfAlQWmeJQPjdQ6gJHnMvuVaSBa8QV8pnj-JV__XPq7YLRKNxk1jAWRBSRUvEVUr8gBFDhQvmVAR5WGTOKvXnkPChIN8Ac9bz4Kcz0FRr2IxBqHxHMke49vpmPkJCinlYx-xgkzjH7gd4RB97uUnJ68mwkddnoPxAS8aJS58-FuLGZ-BAs8/s5184/IMG_7799.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="5184" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPwxc5U7AKSfAlQWmeJQPjdQ6gJHnMvuVaSBa8QV8pnj-JV__XPq7YLRKNxk1jAWRBSRUvEVUr8gBFDhQvmVAR5WGTOKvXnkPChIN8Ac9bz4Kcz0FRr2IxBqHxHMke49vpmPkJCinlYx-xgkzjH7gd4RB97uUnJ68mwkddnoPxAS8aJS58-FuLGZ-BAs8/s320/IMG_7799.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: x-large;">...and how it ended up:</span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHQdAoMyrxvx3auGQB3gyz2gBLiFon08Zv9LhtL6HWoekqNf3WRTSNSJG2CtYNFJVR3AweUf4qwrk94pHne8wlzwj4AVevWyp0qW9GlI41TymmQHGKWkK5hXsUwoHaDufMX2xSSmckpU_Kvheun_L-uRKDYWod0HhIHRGKG0abChga8oXjdB7hOJzCySc/s3132/IMG_7854%20copy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3132" data-original-width="2448" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHQdAoMyrxvx3auGQB3gyz2gBLiFon08Zv9LhtL6HWoekqNf3WRTSNSJG2CtYNFJVR3AweUf4qwrk94pHne8wlzwj4AVevWyp0qW9GlI41TymmQHGKWkK5hXsUwoHaDufMX2xSSmckpU_Kvheun_L-uRKDYWod0HhIHRGKG0abChga8oXjdB7hOJzCySc/w502-h640/IMG_7854%20copy.jpg" width="502" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQRsUTf6T5N9vfjtr8UnvcVnsHVRigAsbWYau-zwfIkQtPhY9QDLn58C6GW7UQZ5_-RaHTHfYJahcP4H4HiZxceJo6gDfDvFDNmzyeIqa83CSMXwqnIFXjh7C591e4NBxZkhGSXqhaz56r84f2JMo2uk053C50JjkOYZPR6W8OPM0DUIcT60uO6QxBk1k/s3234/IMG_7858%20copy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3234" data-original-width="2628" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQRsUTf6T5N9vfjtr8UnvcVnsHVRigAsbWYau-zwfIkQtPhY9QDLn58C6GW7UQZ5_-RaHTHfYJahcP4H4HiZxceJo6gDfDvFDNmzyeIqa83CSMXwqnIFXjh7C591e4NBxZkhGSXqhaz56r84f2JMo2uk053C50JjkOYZPR6W8OPM0DUIcT60uO6QxBk1k/w522-h640/IMG_7858%20copy.jpg" width="522" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhs2whHS8UIUd30dw-2dPR-ilGjghz2ztNr8jC3HLy6K8FG3oLsXtKcKHLrW4z3pp82kvk7iiYPCGXO6wCIbK23HCvhzQAtGE-umIjrToTdzBusA_oF6MmOqSopgehLDr0UCbOVEY9-jhwd_06p0qwnUXvai3PBQlidwgjxCZt8MNEsPVWivHAJL1ZLHrs/s3246/IMG_7855%20copy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3246" data-original-width="2838" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhs2whHS8UIUd30dw-2dPR-ilGjghz2ztNr8jC3HLy6K8FG3oLsXtKcKHLrW4z3pp82kvk7iiYPCGXO6wCIbK23HCvhzQAtGE-umIjrToTdzBusA_oF6MmOqSopgehLDr0UCbOVEY9-jhwd_06p0qwnUXvai3PBQlidwgjxCZt8MNEsPVWivHAJL1ZLHrs/w560-h640/IMG_7855%20copy.jpg" width="560" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDw8GcdIPyzwTtP52-_4SF0qIXEG1sbX6k5ipv8JIZydGAOp6DVFx3cXZhX3G2UNLC8416An0DB7XfqvqsllxcSB4FypHKyi3h-0k0Lef54NeIQlXw7x99J2dxW20p64Pcl35FpcyqKYvrkXG7S_F6DVUvXS39ONBf6zE9qyh4tKorA5ZcUWzWDdjfvdk/s3204/IMG_7853%20copy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3204" data-original-width="2556" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDw8GcdIPyzwTtP52-_4SF0qIXEG1sbX6k5ipv8JIZydGAOp6DVFx3cXZhX3G2UNLC8416An0DB7XfqvqsllxcSB4FypHKyi3h-0k0Lef54NeIQlXw7x99J2dxW20p64Pcl35FpcyqKYvrkXG7S_F6DVUvXS39ONBf6zE9qyh4tKorA5ZcUWzWDdjfvdk/w509-h640/IMG_7853%20copy.jpg" width="509" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMZBIjigvS5WtiKumzmVQE69OyXePKkcayUESYlmyvLIF8S1Fvgw4ZD8qdpcwGgtgfGawu41K1Yi7dD9WPIAGHdTTb9z3AkBtEIDfTwXOcmlRGumr4-UB5loDbOkGnV64qVPQn-kE94IdSBxeoFAs7f2gda3pIKFdJ6O2sHTst-KyLu2UeXLeNzmLaqPs/s3180/IMG_7857%20copy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3180" data-original-width="2628" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMZBIjigvS5WtiKumzmVQE69OyXePKkcayUESYlmyvLIF8S1Fvgw4ZD8qdpcwGgtgfGawu41K1Yi7dD9WPIAGHdTTb9z3AkBtEIDfTwXOcmlRGumr4-UB5loDbOkGnV64qVPQn-kE94IdSBxeoFAs7f2gda3pIKFdJ6O2sHTst-KyLu2UeXLeNzmLaqPs/w528-h640/IMG_7857%20copy.jpg" width="528" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjokF1dmmwkbRIZSKh3Prd_ZP41ZYjUm0jX1iWNY60UKhqSP1NJ4RWBSUg_IBAaVgIJV-3JsrAxdCEWqXGZHXH0GPaQahhAepSKGX1_UqqD7Z_oRGZXWnDlEhMp_uiGE8Cb4m1uBwxVBBF3NmI9MvwpmQ5_nuY_cekZRDPHlTfhydmCDSIkqwRZSx4T7YA/s3234/IMG_7856%20copy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3234" data-original-width="2484" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjokF1dmmwkbRIZSKh3Prd_ZP41ZYjUm0jX1iWNY60UKhqSP1NJ4RWBSUg_IBAaVgIJV-3JsrAxdCEWqXGZHXH0GPaQahhAepSKGX1_UqqD7Z_oRGZXWnDlEhMp_uiGE8Cb4m1uBwxVBBF3NmI9MvwpmQ5_nuY_cekZRDPHlTfhydmCDSIkqwRZSx4T7YA/w493-h640/IMG_7856%20copy.jpg" width="493" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Garamond; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">I've been working on the finishing for the last few days. Today was a long, long session. I'm pleased with the effort, even though I know I'll look at it tomorrow morning, and find a bunch of little things that need to be touched up. </span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: x-large; text-align: left;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: x-large; text-align: left;"> I left a lot of the natural shape of the top part of the stone as it was, and went with a hand-drawn, slightly funky presentation, rather than work everything into a 'machine perfect' arc and spiral. I have a feeling that this one may sell. I hope to get one more sculpture done before the Santa Fe Springs show this spring. But the next one has to be a big, significant effort. I've had my eye on the big stone that has been sitting weathering away in the pile for over a year now. It's a big chunky rough cube of milky translucence. I have only a vague idea of what I want to do with it, but a lot of good things start out with a sort of vague idea. Only problem is that I can't lift the damn thing. I'll think up somethin'...</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: x-large; text-align: left;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWpFVzEJxoq0C43kb2t6sNGotz3sGxOqAaASVZIcmC8nwCXDw5W4uj3HJZNnD2eG9tZMG1Gzov-Qd2aTZ1gZyWzvZMzlfi_Xb_ScbVShq59TCakkbPnfYM3AdHjs1FBZz-iCmroF44BcBmTyuY1qLzTEJkhNuVfBkC3ahGAHCtXUNhhaWmLuF8sg2N2P8/s3456/IMG_3167%20copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2304" data-original-width="3456" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWpFVzEJxoq0C43kb2t6sNGotz3sGxOqAaASVZIcmC8nwCXDw5W4uj3HJZNnD2eG9tZMG1Gzov-Qd2aTZ1gZyWzvZMzlfi_Xb_ScbVShq59TCakkbPnfYM3AdHjs1FBZz-iCmroF44BcBmTyuY1qLzTEJkhNuVfBkC3ahGAHCtXUNhhaWmLuF8sg2N2P8/w640-h426/IMG_3167%20copy.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: x-large; text-align: left;"><br /></span></div></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br /></div></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Garamond; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: xx-large;"><br /></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Garamond; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: xx-large;"> </span></span></div>JWMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05564732483476859555noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5415946761607993140.post-50865365697529434172023-11-29T19:07:00.000-08:002023-11-29T19:39:50.205-08:00Wingin' into Winter<h1 style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: x-large;"> <span>Wingin' into Winter</span></span></h1><div><span style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: x-large;">Work has been spotty as of late. It seems I just can't get locked into a steady routine anymore. I get a little done here and there, but stuff comes up. Now, I don't have a clue what "stuff" is, exactly. I don't have to be too many places other than here but days slip out from under me, and nothing much gets accomplished, not even the "stuff" that keeps me from getting the stone work done. So here is where the spiral stone stands:</span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjD0HYo3B5tIUWP7JzZT0QdapGBXf_Fazi3HhU6AbkgNS7RN3sdSis10rZXJD75AQZZr_0B8W6EFH_UbpLO2FNe159eS9qt7WM9V86H1psezC1NCFV2U_McSklbr8Udlq_WPVua4BU9_cre_JEK4V5Wjbs7xIVZxAZRa5jqFy_klwOndM8nYwskhb4X4-Y/s5184/IMG_7850.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="5184" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjD0HYo3B5tIUWP7JzZT0QdapGBXf_Fazi3HhU6AbkgNS7RN3sdSis10rZXJD75AQZZr_0B8W6EFH_UbpLO2FNe159eS9qt7WM9V86H1psezC1NCFV2U_McSklbr8Udlq_WPVua4BU9_cre_JEK4V5Wjbs7xIVZxAZRa5jqFy_klwOndM8nYwskhb4X4-Y/w400-h266/IMG_7850.JPG" width="400" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4Yl58AJoc8EkaLbdhe0ww0Enkpro2SzF2PasBkpP5SJIZT7EeygDokPbTBAxHJ3gLl6F2kXo9nrMatm3Iv2U8To-j8jow2_mCAz17BRbIYLqmU7f6DNG98_bLAGziHIvpDeEnCz5vqZLQq8QFk3SSRF4W7auU6616hZtTaBRM7Z4MT3Jldx4dJJE_f18/s5184/IMG_7851.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="5184" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4Yl58AJoc8EkaLbdhe0ww0Enkpro2SzF2PasBkpP5SJIZT7EeygDokPbTBAxHJ3gLl6F2kXo9nrMatm3Iv2U8To-j8jow2_mCAz17BRbIYLqmU7f6DNG98_bLAGziHIvpDeEnCz5vqZLQq8QFk3SSRF4W7auU6616hZtTaBRM7Z4MT3Jldx4dJJE_f18/w400-h266/IMG_7851.JPG" width="400" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><br /><span><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: x-large;">I'm shaping the drop in the center right now, slowly working it into a globe. I'm leaving a lot of the natural shape of the stone intact on this one. I'm liking the contrasts in the transition from the folded teardrop base, to the irregular outer ring, and into the more exact coil in the center.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: x-large;">Thanksgiving came and went. We had a good gathering with eleven people at the table. It's a big expense, and an awful lot of work to throw that feast together. Everyone had a very nice time, but I left the kitchen only long enough to eat. I don't mind. Our whole circle of friends is old, and nobody has children. If Mary and I hadn't stepped up, everyone would have spent the day alone.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: x-large;"> The week before, we had both my brothers here in town which is rare. Ross and his friend Pacho came in from New York. Don had the 24 hour flight from Thailand. Lani came in from Colorado, and Ian came up from San Diego. We had the whole very small clan over here for a BBQ. It was good. I guess that accounts for some of the recent "stuff" that got between me and getting my stone work done.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: x-large;">To the good, I have my work on display at a really for real Art Gallery. <a href="https://www.ahmadshariffgallery.com/" target="_blank">Here's the link.</a></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: x-large;">Mary and I are driving up there to drop the three stones off tomorrow. There will be an Art walk/show up there this Saturday.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://media.gab.com/system/media_attachments/files/153/526/090/original/f14cce8835e5e7b5.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="335" src="https://media.gab.com/system/media_attachments/files/153/526/090/original/f14cce8835e5e7b5.jpeg" width="447" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: x-large;"> The other stuff was the Lost Era film. We held the first showing at Whittier Museum this last Saturday. There was an afternoon, and an early evening show, 2:00, and 5:30. The early show had a couple dozen people </span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Garamond;">come out to see</span><span style="font-family: Garamond;">, including my good friend Penny, from the bike gang. I hadn't seen Penny, or any of the gang since back in May. We had a burger at Mimo's, and she seemed to enjoy the film. (HT Penny for the pic) The later show had fewer in attendance. That was fine, actually. Julie C and her family came a long way out here to see the film. I've been trading notes on line with Julie for a very long time. Her husband and family were absolutely great. We all went out to dinner after the show. Seldom have I had such a fine evening of company and conversation. This was another great highlight for the season.</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: x-large;"> The program was very well received.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: x-large;"> Lost Era is a strange piece of work. The forty minute film features about two hundred twenty four still pictures, slides of Pete Hampton's paintings, with narration, background music, and sound effects. It tells a story in seven vignettes of Pete's childhood life up in the hills above La Habra back in the early 1940's. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: x-large;">One of the difficulties is context, and background. I need to preface the film with a fairly detailed introduction, telling about Pete, his life, his mission to save the hills, and his purpose in creating the slideshow. That means getting up before the audience for about a ten or fifteen minute talk before the film, and a Q&A session after it's over. </span><span style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: x-large;">Normally I don't have a problem speaking up in front of a group, but I was nervous enough to print out a few pages of notes before going in to this presentation. I didn't get the stage fright, but the notes served me well, nonetheless. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: x-large;"> </span></div><div><span style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: x-large;">I can convey the idea that Pete was quite an eccentric character, and that I made an extraordinary effort to put this piece together. Past that, the show has to stand on its own. Does it? I believe it does, but it's hard to know how others are going to respond to it. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><br /></div><div><span style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: x-large;">And where is this thing going to go? What is the goal? What would success look like in this endeavor?</span></div><div><span style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: x-large;">I am not sure. But I'll find out, eventually.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: x-large;">And since I'm just kind of rambling here, I guess I could mention the rat. Every once in a long while we get one. A little over a week ago I got up, and when I went to feed the cats, I saw Skinnies charge over to the refigerator and start looking behind it where he couldn't fit in. I got a flashlight, and looked. A rat had jumped up, and was crouching on the electric cord about four feet off the floor. I grabbed a yardstick, and tried to smack him out onto the floor so Skinnies could get him, but he escaped.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: x-large;">Thus began the war of the rat. I have three rat traps, two of the classic Victor traps, and a plastic claw type thing, sort of like a miniature bear trap. I never caught anything in the claw trap, and mostly use it for a clamp on the cat food bag.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: x-large;">I baited the Victor trap with a pice of muffin, and some peanut butter, and set it behind the refrigerator. Rat ate the bait, and didn't snap the trap. So I tried again, this time baiting both Victor traps with a piece of apple, and peanut butter.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: x-large;">Rat ate the bait again. So I tried baiting with an almond. Rat ate the bait. I tried peanut butter and cracker. Same result. So I bought a couple of sticky traps. Rat ate the bait, and left a paw print and some fur on the trap.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: x-large;">I was getting pissed.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: x-large;">I detest rats. The last several (and I mean several) who got in the house died under the heel of my shoe. There is nothing to recommend that task. This one was sly. He was not going to give me the opportunity to stomp his rat ass. I had hoped the sticky trap would get him, if, for no other reason, it would give me the pleasure of killing the damned thing myself. I wanted that thing to suffer.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: x-large;">But every morning, the traps were empty, and unsprung (even the claw trap).</span></div><div><span style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: x-large;">I decided to click it up a notch, and blew seventy five bucks on an electronic rat zap trap. I put it behind the stove.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: x-large;">nothing.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: x-large;">To add insult to all this I was finding rat shit on the stove, and in the kitchen sink, and on the counter. And I found a hole in a bag of apples I bought, and one apple gnawed away.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: x-large;">New strategy. I left a sticky trap, that zap trap, and a Victor trap, and, for good measure, even the claw trap that never worked- left them all set and baited on the kitchen counter. But I baited them with pieces of the apple that already had rat teeth marks all over it. I figured the rat would smell himself, and get a little careless.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: x-large;">Usually I'm the first one up in the morning, and it falls to me to feed the cats, check the traps, and make the coffee. I slept in, and Mary came in to wake me. "You got the rat."</span></div><div><span style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: x-large;">Did I ever.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><span>There it was on the floor with its head in the jaws of the claw trap that never worked. Until now. There was blood all over everything. The claw damn near decapitated the rat, and both rat and trap were in a big puddle of dried blood right near the corner of the stove. </span>There must have been a hell of a struggle for that rat to thrash around enough to drop off the edge of the counter. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: x-large;">Well, I was angry enough to want the rat to suffer, and it looked like he did. He suffered big, if not for long. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: x-large;">No, I didn't feel bad about it.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: x-large;">And now I have a brand new, unused, electronic rat zapper. Just what I need.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: x-large;">It would be cheating to return it to the store.</span></div><div><br /></div>JWMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05564732483476859555noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5415946761607993140.post-81590316069226673202023-11-13T17:18:00.000-08:002023-11-13T18:27:03.126-08:00Mid November. Time so Fast<h1 style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"> <span style="font-family: Garamond;">Mid November. Time so Fast</span></span></h1><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2ZNnR2nsN4mnjl4a7SIss2iwNtDGKP-eruCUYhYlj6BslG1o1Mqm_6galewKFm-cEFo5M0mhFyfGKwUevt53W5uqe8Eyy2oUdb99QzIMFy07A5wNwPFzX3-xwGl-RlnpVacWUoKX7K5seEjDZU12Cs455JI_KxzF5SGIOhFgDh0ParScBnk7fV9CVWkw/s1950/greencopy%20jp%20copy2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1326" data-original-width="1950" height="272" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2ZNnR2nsN4mnjl4a7SIss2iwNtDGKP-eruCUYhYlj6BslG1o1Mqm_6galewKFm-cEFo5M0mhFyfGKwUevt53W5uqe8Eyy2oUdb99QzIMFy07A5wNwPFzX3-xwGl-RlnpVacWUoKX7K5seEjDZU12Cs455JI_KxzF5SGIOhFgDh0ParScBnk7fV9CVWkw/w400-h272/greencopy%20jp%20copy2.jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /><span style="font-family: Garamond;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: x-large;">I seem to remember deciding to keep a weekly post up here at the blog, but I have not done so. No excuses. I just get lazy, and distracted. I drop notes over on pbird's blog, and Founding Questions, and a few of the other stops I make in the morning, but then I feel like I've done enough internetting for the day. I'm getting my strength back at long last, albeit slowly. I've talked to a few other people who said it took them a good six months or even more after they came down with the bug. That eases the fear. It shouldn't be hard to forget, but it's amazing how quickly I lose track of being seventy one years old, which is past any pretense of being in "post-middle age." I'm still dealing with breathing issues, and having to hit the inhaler periodically. But I'm back on the bike, and I can do the fifteen miles on the local bike trail without much trouble. Maybe I'll be able to get back to Cyclone Coaster, and riding with what remains of the bike club.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: x-large;">Too, this last week has been eventful. Both my brothers were in town, which very seldom happens. We had a few good gatherings during the week.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: x-large;">And I have been pecking away on the stone project, even though I have been lax in taking pictures of my slow progress.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: x-large;">What else?</span></div><div><span style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: x-large;">Oh, yeah. The Lost Era film.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Garamond;">We finally got the event posted up on the Whittier Museum calendar. I'll be giving two presentations at the museum on Saturday, November 25th. at 2:00, and 5:30. I'l also be showing at the Whittier Art Gallery in December, but that show is contingent on getting the use of a projector. We'll see what happens. I'm looking forward to doing this. The screening last August got very good responses from people. This time the Lost Era is the show, and not just an unplanned opening event. I'll have to get up in front of whatever audience we have, give an introduction to the piece, and answer some questions (if there are any) afterwords. So that means I have to prepare notes, and rehearse the pitch. </span><span style="font-family: Garamond;">I'll have to be concise. </span><span style="font-family: Garamond;">The whole affair is not a story that can easily be condensed into a few sentences, and even though I've told the story many times I find it very easy to get sidetracked, and run on too long.</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Garamond;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXMeNgi8oRwLLNFfJBvmYPfATM8WIbC15eX_jh_QwoH69EGynkHtA54JJ_cG5Uezc5wq-s1yXHbCvaLg1ol9whpHQVlO9vIe6zJedg5f93tHCPDqxa_dTanhuMHWZKtduQ7xewhFY4W0lUr-PY5nZCm1LhrrVAahV8TR0TeNBfAKHWG0V0szNUL9mVTqg/s5184/IMG_7840.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="5184" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXMeNgi8oRwLLNFfJBvmYPfATM8WIbC15eX_jh_QwoH69EGynkHtA54JJ_cG5Uezc5wq-s1yXHbCvaLg1ol9whpHQVlO9vIe6zJedg5f93tHCPDqxa_dTanhuMHWZKtduQ7xewhFY4W0lUr-PY5nZCm1LhrrVAahV8TR0TeNBfAKHWG0V0szNUL9mVTqg/w400-h266/IMG_7840.JPG" width="400" /></span></a></div><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-0xU0KwZabXVibDL-IXvBPqYYHMUQ-xA7Qw2HNB284TTQo4si_G5LyAV7JvWYUEFM0mZheSnueBcHVo-7oIMJ1zpU5K0TugR-5mGZ1fP3oNnSJE3tvyG-oZ8yF9R6UmeYNN1QEJ_IAmHIbJhE3XhhCQZcrQD6jnpn9GCZ9jy2v70nxI0SgFnewBzlHQk/s5184/IMG_7841.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="5184" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-0xU0KwZabXVibDL-IXvBPqYYHMUQ-xA7Qw2HNB284TTQo4si_G5LyAV7JvWYUEFM0mZheSnueBcHVo-7oIMJ1zpU5K0TugR-5mGZ1fP3oNnSJE3tvyG-oZ8yF9R6UmeYNN1QEJ_IAmHIbJhE3XhhCQZcrQD6jnpn9GCZ9jy2v70nxI0SgFnewBzlHQk/w400-h266/IMG_7841.JPG" width="400" /></span></a></div><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRTTkaoueJkH7yGHcoN0MtNXYY9fyMlBPvB12woA2xfQZw1QsyF0I-50lBNqhiTHBqNTagwqEqMRCwOJjbmMwituWvq7uSo1hyILmzFoFcn5RMtUwhwU5C8CiHJ4a4etai3aw6CYi0La4_XubOj4NGzqis_KkHbVdg1HybDcQ5Y6sgnUu49B3ST0fmU9A/s5184/IMG_7839.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="5184" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRTTkaoueJkH7yGHcoN0MtNXYY9fyMlBPvB12woA2xfQZw1QsyF0I-50lBNqhiTHBqNTagwqEqMRCwOJjbmMwituWvq7uSo1hyILmzFoFcn5RMtUwhwU5C8CiHJ4a4etai3aw6CYi0La4_XubOj4NGzqis_KkHbVdg1HybDcQ5Y6sgnUu49B3ST0fmU9A/w400-h266/IMG_7839.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: Garamond;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Garamond;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">So, anyway, let's look at the stone stuff. First is a small piece I prepared for the miniature show at the gallery in December. The orange stone is one of the first things I carved. Originally the top of the carving was a loop, but It got knocked off the shelf in an earthquake some years back. I had glued it back together, but it got knocked over and broken again. So I rounded the ends of the broken stubs, and put the bird-like heads on them, so they lean into one another without touching. Sort of creates a little dynamic tension between the the two bodies if the piece. I made the base from a scrap of some very cool green alabaster, and glued the two pieces together with Liquid Steel. I bought the green stone in Utah when Mary and I were on our honeymoon. I wanted a high gloss finish on the base, but I also wanted the natural texture of the rough stone, Can't have both. So I did something I've though of before, but never did because it seemed like cheating. I sprayed it with urethane. Came out good too.</span></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxVwgMtquLuAD30OBrDjcrBkVg05X06ayVEJ2M5fBV5blC-IO0v2fzOuonzntLIut2ArMd9-55GA4WHrnctWVErxU3CTk2XchnQFuXjZ-fEEOovfeRH_BQau0yqAuFd_cKKIyfwR5T2ra9j9uSxHZFTtRaXURWZsyb-H4rShnkxJrDNt57pfzfBSMtJQA/s5184/IMG_7842.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="5184" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxVwgMtquLuAD30OBrDjcrBkVg05X06ayVEJ2M5fBV5blC-IO0v2fzOuonzntLIut2ArMd9-55GA4WHrnctWVErxU3CTk2XchnQFuXjZ-fEEOovfeRH_BQau0yqAuFd_cKKIyfwR5T2ra9j9uSxHZFTtRaXURWZsyb-H4rShnkxJrDNt57pfzfBSMtJQA/w400-h266/IMG_7842.JPG" width="400" /></span></a></div><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /><span style="font-family: Garamond;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Garamond;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">Finally, here's the progress on the September Stone. Once again, I thought of doing something easy that wouldn't take a lot of difficult shaping, but ended up cutting a spiral out of the center of the rock. </span></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyGp_Wk-Mbn5feW3HLTKYFvK9cymMOiq_Ef_P6aJYDxwwTfVpISKzYUXjRC6i3A7sj3yrKiW9lStZ3KfzgK8JHjGKo3GYFzdcUWlO9_tzXut8KguA0HCmUJ629prd3CbQe0Ky24oqMd74b3JMG8NwozxEkVtYG7-ZnES1HNnRCnatlLVqBx5GpkG3VroI/s5184/IMG_7845.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="5184" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyGp_Wk-Mbn5feW3HLTKYFvK9cymMOiq_Ef_P6aJYDxwwTfVpISKzYUXjRC6i3A7sj3yrKiW9lStZ3KfzgK8JHjGKo3GYFzdcUWlO9_tzXut8KguA0HCmUJ629prd3CbQe0Ky24oqMd74b3JMG8NwozxEkVtYG7-ZnES1HNnRCnatlLVqBx5GpkG3VroI/w400-h266/IMG_7845.JPG" width="400" /></span></a></div><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /><span style="font-family: Garamond;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Garamond;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">So I'm back to a task that proceeds slowly, and takes a lot of attention to detail. And it's going to get harder and harder the farther along I get. </span></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjo8LTOumqP_ke5WLbr5dLQgyQ8WJtnD_ewlLJHKBaPcrEJfidjuZnR6lZ4TjKIsRwOIlns2ARZXegMDo81iT5EWoMoAVVd6GOkUvB5fihGsJaUyMy_ltUZh8sQU-IagFpe-k6wWXrk-cdz0dMCbsyKxR33Vqc8auP9llA2htQLlQDcrFSUnBiulEIPFV4/s5184/IMG_7849.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="5184" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjo8LTOumqP_ke5WLbr5dLQgyQ8WJtnD_ewlLJHKBaPcrEJfidjuZnR6lZ4TjKIsRwOIlns2ARZXegMDo81iT5EWoMoAVVd6GOkUvB5fihGsJaUyMy_ltUZh8sQU-IagFpe-k6wWXrk-cdz0dMCbsyKxR33Vqc8auP9llA2htQLlQDcrFSUnBiulEIPFV4/w400-h266/IMG_7849.JPG" width="400" /></span></a></div><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /><span style="font-family: Garamond;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Garamond;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">Not a problem, though. I like the shape that's emerging from this piece of rock, and it will have that three-dimensional Rorschach quality that always seems to surface in my work. All to the good. So that's it from here for now. Thanksgiving and the Lost Era show rolling around next week. More to the good there.</span></span></div><div><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div>JWMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05564732483476859555noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5415946761607993140.post-26935486082390143192023-10-28T19:47:00.001-07:002023-10-28T19:52:04.285-07:0028 October<p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"> <span style="font-family: Garamond;">28 October</span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: x-large;">Just after dinner. Mary made quesadillas with chicken left over from the BBQ from the other day. They were great, and I'm stuffed.</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Garamond;">Right now I'm unaccountably tired, but I've been so for what seems like a very long time, now. Ever since June. I've been having breathing issues as of late, and I've been depending on inhalers for shortness of breath. </span><span style="font-family: Garamond;">I got tested at Kaiser, and they said I have a mild case of COPD. Has to be, at least in part, my just deserts for fifty five years of smoking weed. But I haven't smoked since June. </span><span style="font-family: Garamond;">But too, there was the covid in August. I'm barely beginning to get my strength back from that. It's an evil fucking bug, designed by evil fucking people. Hell cannot be deep enough or hot enough for them. </span></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Garamond;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">The doc started me on a new puffer this week: just one blast in the morning. Today was the first day I haven't had to hit the tweeter since that morning spritz. Maybe it's going to work. Joys of post-middle age, I guess. </span></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: x-large;">Anyway-</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: x-large;"> I remember when I was much younger, hearing old folks say how strange it was, because they don't feel old, but physically they just couldn't do what they did not long ago. Now I get it. Sit still, and close your eyes. Shut out all the distractions you can. What's left? Just the awareness of... you. That sense of "I am." That little microcosm of God. It's the same now as it was when you were a child. It never changes. What changes is the container, the housing.</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: x-large;">Mine is old.</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: x-large;">I got some small work done on the stone. I've dialed in the form of the project, and today I drilled. I'm not as accurate with the drill as I was twenty years ago, but I did an acceptable job placing the holes. I have one more to go, which is the long hole through the base. I'll need to set up the big drill, and the jig to make sure it comes out right. Then it will be the slow process of carving out the spiral in the top section while shaping the curves and tapers on the base. It all has to proceed together. It won't do to concentrate on one part at a time.</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Garamond;"> I'm looking forward to showing The Lost Era slideshow movie at the Whittier Museum next month. Nick hasn't posted the November calendar yet. I've had one niggling concern on the project, and that's the use of the excerpts from the Beethoven</span><span style="font-family: Garamond;"> symphonies. I have heard that the copyright holders can cause a work to be unplatformed if stuff is used without official permission. Now this is more of a concern when using pop music, or movie themes for a commercial project. I doubt if The Lost Era is ever going to have the kind of reach that it would come up on some corporate radar. But film festivals do check to make sure that those ducks are in a row. Too, I'd like to upload it to Vimeo, or some site other than youtube</span></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Garamond;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"> So, just to be sure, I looked up the protocols for requesting permission from the corporate copyright holder. I found a letter template on line, filled it out, and sent it off to the big office on the 12th of October. I got an email from them this last week, and traded a few notes with one of their people to clarify what I wanted to use the excerpts for. We'll see what happens.</span></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Garamond;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">Now I'm just running a test. Blogger won't let me comment on my own goddamn blog.</span></span></p>JWMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05564732483476859555noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5415946761607993140.post-9731494948982040542023-09-25T19:28:00.000-07:002023-09-25T19:28:19.455-07:00Cracks n' Stuff<h1 style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: x-large;"> Cracks n' Stuff</span></h1><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlr7Jvt9DPx8guR9nsBUCMfkHJFKQg1QkRuCA1WCL4IEOiih7dIfIo98U5Z5WepA_T9z-Al6yXIugd7LdWtEf2K1lQVufKSzGsvHkyt4oJ32CkzcwYnpTO3lUCX65MARVz5YbhilOlwASRv3Wth4i-6F8vdp2F2e0FNC7tvyHmV2jg3Qi0p7k4qpPjjeI/s5184/IMG_7835.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: medium; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="5184" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlr7Jvt9DPx8guR9nsBUCMfkHJFKQg1QkRuCA1WCL4IEOiih7dIfIo98U5Z5WepA_T9z-Al6yXIugd7LdWtEf2K1lQVufKSzGsvHkyt4oJ32CkzcwYnpTO3lUCX65MARVz5YbhilOlwASRv3Wth4i-6F8vdp2F2e0FNC7tvyHmV2jg3Qi0p7k4qpPjjeI/w400-h266/IMG_7835.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><span style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: x-large;"></span></div><div><br /></div><span style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: x-large;">Alabaster is gypsum, which is a soft stone. It comes in at just a notch above soapstone at #2 on the mohs scale, although some alabasters are harder, and other alabasters are downright mushy. The Anza Borrego stone comes from the US Gypsum quarries, way deep in the Anza Borrego Desert in the wilds of San Diego County. It is not quarried out for sculpting. The colors in the material I've been working on for the last couple of years are impurities in the gypsum that render the stone unfit for crushing into powder to be used as the matrix for drywall. The stuff does not get careful treatment. Rather, it is plowed out of the mountainside with huge earth moving machines, broken up, scooped up, and dumped. Even alabaster that is quarried for sculpting is full of cracks. It's just a natural feature. These pieces are fragments of broken rock. Sometimes the cracking is the aforementioned natural property of alabaster, but just as often a piece may be shot through with fissures. Usually, that means just getting out the five pound mallet, and smacking a big chunk out of the stone before beginning work.<br />It sometimes happens that the fissures don't show up until a carving is well underway, and when that happens, it causes problems.<br />You might guess that this is what I'm dealing with right now. At least, with an abstract figure this means adjusting the shape in progress. There is always some room for improvisation. You can't do that with a bust, or a statue. <br /><br /><br />Uh, well, umm, yeah it's supposed to be a guy with no arm, and right shoulder. I planned that way to uhh- make a statement, that's it!<br /><br /><br />Enter Starbond. The super-glue that you get at the grocery store is watered down. Starbond is the real deal. It comes from Japan, and it's a little bit treacherous to work with. You can easily weld your fingertips to each other, or anything they may touch. It come with needle fine dispensing tips so you can drip it into a crack with some precision. Even so, the fluid is very thin and it runs all over the place before it sets up. If the fissure is fine enough, the Starbond can keep the edges from flaking, and keep the fissure from spreading and causing a chunk to fall out of the stone.<br /></span><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhadPP9CJd4jsJMSTaX29wbkS7sp3dIAn4qwgXLqcSjHqFrUXC_DLo2tadUhDzH2l0MMW7i0Ytk7_YChPlcW2O_pXKgTLs1laVLWAorS5JoMIzcUDhiExvrN9Ew8JF-zerCjybZt7gx0IaQapZT8AHJIDwokNnkydHD7OISBq-CHGkQ9l0ogyxK_xCv1Xw/s5184/IMG_7837.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="5184" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhadPP9CJd4jsJMSTaX29wbkS7sp3dIAn4qwgXLqcSjHqFrUXC_DLo2tadUhDzH2l0MMW7i0Ytk7_YChPlcW2O_pXKgTLs1laVLWAorS5JoMIzcUDhiExvrN9Ew8JF-zerCjybZt7gx0IaQapZT8AHJIDwokNnkydHD7OISBq-CHGkQ9l0ogyxK_xCv1Xw/w400-h266/IMG_7837.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><span style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: x-large;">In this case, the crack is on the left side near the bottom where I've been shaping the butt end of the rock into a wedge. The Starbond is the wet looking patches. You can see the drip in the top pic as well. We'll just have to see how it works out. I may have the fissure under control here. If it continues to give me trouble I have the option of cutting much of the tail end away.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEii7QmDo-1w8t6tOvyT3pGnqgHOFcvnM4b48v6dSfLhNjJsQ2hC0cNVA4JSfsPWI-mW3y8VduRdxCQcLWVtZpHD9_scKMKA58WpuwRJxLZ70V9q9Y1SoSNBFWeKdmYNouS3_yPWVrunosGmkNWtnEO9TBCrpqTTVzn3hYn6dPu3ahfyTxpvb618M8LaNdY/s5184/IMG_7836.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="5184" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEii7QmDo-1w8t6tOvyT3pGnqgHOFcvnM4b48v6dSfLhNjJsQ2hC0cNVA4JSfsPWI-mW3y8VduRdxCQcLWVtZpHD9_scKMKA58WpuwRJxLZ70V9q9Y1SoSNBFWeKdmYNouS3_yPWVrunosGmkNWtnEO9TBCrpqTTVzn3hYn6dPu3ahfyTxpvb618M8LaNdY/w400-h266/IMG_7836.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div><span style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: x-large;"> Again, this is the freedom that you have when working an abstract form. It doesn't mean anything goes. It is entirely possible to wreck the composition by hacking the wrong way. So now, it is time to slow down a little, give attention to other parts of the figure, and as always, spend a lot of time just staring at the stone.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKSCNExjgCr3Z7ZZe5EM9dowEVz2soNH2HfRvIEMoy_Uwu0YRv4qPs12bVr-kaLdOLq5FqBt-J3s1rul0y2U88FCGaYn1I0ZUfSgLRYjpnzJpIxxqdSlnLJSFxuS_TyuuGgMaiZibuRDU4Wa3IhEngqfAAgNJhdY5bM2iGA-yeouS0bon7c2LwvauknkE/s5184/IMG_7838.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="5184" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKSCNExjgCr3Z7ZZe5EM9dowEVz2soNH2HfRvIEMoy_Uwu0YRv4qPs12bVr-kaLdOLq5FqBt-J3s1rul0y2U88FCGaYn1I0ZUfSgLRYjpnzJpIxxqdSlnLJSFxuS_TyuuGgMaiZibuRDU4Wa3IhEngqfAAgNJhdY5bM2iGA-yeouS0bon7c2LwvauknkE/w400-h266/IMG_7838.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />JWMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05564732483476859555noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5415946761607993140.post-15929079852190527462023-09-21T19:21:00.000-07:002023-09-21T19:21:06.269-07:00Drawing on the Stone<span style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><br /><br /><h1 style="text-align: center;">Drawing on the Stone</h1><h1 style="text-align: center;"><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimrWsd5ptKWcGhJQQZ2RkjEwdR0NSI38trnELZVDRcd21ppCV3iPi0C2K23t5pcSn4NUVEwVd6jC7vp59EQDnugLcuT9IRpBjnJ33OLy0rn1tMmJXv94dyYwUPrtgHp8ka6UMtTQfc21KOJZMFj9TfEDDP_nN8iZ95Ay-jV74Ep9oSbTutQrkD1H7GF0w/s5184/IMG_7829.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="5184" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimrWsd5ptKWcGhJQQZ2RkjEwdR0NSI38trnELZVDRcd21ppCV3iPi0C2K23t5pcSn4NUVEwVd6jC7vp59EQDnugLcuT9IRpBjnJ33OLy0rn1tMmJXv94dyYwUPrtgHp8ka6UMtTQfc21KOJZMFj9TfEDDP_nN8iZ95Ay-jV74Ep9oSbTutQrkD1H7GF0w/w400-h266/IMG_7829.JPG" width="400" /></a></div></h1><br /> I haven't put up a post in a few days, because up until today there wasn't any sort of progress to show. I have been working, but this part of the project is simply staring at the stone. Truth to tell, I don't draw vey well. I seldom make sketches on paper, because I do poorly trying to translate a three dimensional idea onto a two dimensional plane. It is much easier for me to sketch directly onto the stone. It's not exactly a spectator sport. I did have an idea, and I drew it out on the face of the rock, but somehow, it just didn't seem right. I messed with it for a few days, but ended up just saying, "No." Maybe something more simple, more elegant. </span><div><span style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: x-large;">Of course, opting for a more simple design sets off the nagging inner voice I call the Carp. Carp will say, "You're just too lazy to do a difficult design. You've lost your touch. It'll look like something you already did. People will see it and say, "Anyone could do that. What's the big deal?" And on, and on. </span><div><span style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span><div><span style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: x-large;">I sketched out the design on one side of the stone, then flipped the rock over to put the mirror image on the other side. It's surprising how difficult that can be, even with a simple design. I kept making the same mistakes over and over. I'd look, and say, "That isn't right," then had the devil's own time figuring out what was wrong. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKFuap1vP5K4gWm2fJ34v19yixABTLcNN-gsIp1AvxTnmn3i5C3Vm5eXjBCQQgM1u1sdEnwZdRd9L1RpZtIydGtnii2eJBfvP-oErPaFvOXEOSZqLcDqvGBctuM2oDrxkDlFIhMDD5qdNixKoBphDNInDIzbzjNzSakOIHg9p_nsxtp0DVE0RFkftUb-w/s5184/IMG_7828.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="5184" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKFuap1vP5K4gWm2fJ34v19yixABTLcNN-gsIp1AvxTnmn3i5C3Vm5eXjBCQQgM1u1sdEnwZdRd9L1RpZtIydGtnii2eJBfvP-oErPaFvOXEOSZqLcDqvGBctuM2oDrxkDlFIhMDD5qdNixKoBphDNInDIzbzjNzSakOIHg9p_nsxtp0DVE0RFkftUb-w/w400-h266/IMG_7828.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><div style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: x-large;">Eventually I got it down, but it took an inordinate amount of time to do it. <span style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: x-large;">Of course, the sketch just looks like a big "S"curve, because that's what it is. There will be more to it than just a big "S".</span></span></div><div style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: x-large;">I got the point chisels out today. and started cutting, then drew a line for a base, and scribed it in.</span></div></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcDPo-vxR1dpmX5eDjEqh4_tn8VZJ0eVwT-PAa0CQ2OZhC-ydQ9GddMzKdUatgxHZ3quaubBA184l56Avff8pZFW13FTLiNlCQqkCs_B_T8Sn1Kom8xnR8rfCORBX9oogbdON_Mz9xgK4Gq0amA7Yxo7DrCKAyZwfM2ayasjvCH4lwqT56ULnXihH6mFk/s5184/IMG_7833.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="5184" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcDPo-vxR1dpmX5eDjEqh4_tn8VZJ0eVwT-PAa0CQ2OZhC-ydQ9GddMzKdUatgxHZ3quaubBA184l56Avff8pZFW13FTLiNlCQqkCs_B_T8Sn1Kom8xnR8rfCORBX9oogbdON_Mz9xgK4Gq0amA7Yxo7DrCKAyZwfM2ayasjvCH4lwqT56ULnXihH6mFk/s320/IMG_7833.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbXApjZJQ3RNfv5jJOjf35ordSJIEXNGvyCK1vU6tPkBl5FI-e2KLtsoNN0NCZLlEylathVOo7aW8MsAvYGII6PG1mX1jkLt876gwhV9v-Bn9CsqILwCBdF0JTiyrWpx8FVBsfap4_Jo-fqudke-y0ZjQT399v4fFurDTt3AlhoWTdwMKfomcgk_q4L1g/s5184/IMG_7834.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="5184" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbXApjZJQ3RNfv5jJOjf35ordSJIEXNGvyCK1vU6tPkBl5FI-e2KLtsoNN0NCZLlEylathVOo7aW8MsAvYGII6PG1mX1jkLt876gwhV9v-Bn9CsqILwCBdF0JTiyrWpx8FVBsfap4_Jo-fqudke-y0ZjQT399v4fFurDTt3AlhoWTdwMKfomcgk_q4L1g/s320/IMG_7834.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><br />So the project is underway. I know right from the gate that, unless I get some really brilliant flash of inspiration, it's probably not going to be one of my prize-winning pieces. I need to work, and I'm happy to feel well enough to do it, but I don't have much in the way of creative fire just now.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: x-large;"> <br /> My energy level, physical, mental, and psychic is still uncomfortably low. I've made the observation before, that we do not age on a bell curve. The faculties do not decline in a gradual slope. They fall off like a series of stair steps, sometimes small steps, but more often in big ones. I'm realizing, and none too graciously, that the illness of this last summer kicked me down a solid step or two. I won't come back all the way from it. I need to accept that there has been a decline, and it isn't a temporary setback. It's a decline.<br /><br />I'm realizing, too, that my efforts with The Lost Canyon Project may come to naught as well. I refer the "The Lost Canyon Project" as the overall effort to see my late friend Pete Hampton's work recognized for its greatness.<br /><br />The Lost Era blog, book, and now movie are the vehicles for that effort. The blog gets very little traffic except for the Singapore scumbags trawling through Blogger to plant scams, and viruses. I have not made too much effort toward trying to publish the book, but the queries I've sent out haven't been fruitful. The Lost Era got off to an encouraging start at the Arkhaven Comic site, but traffic has fallen way off, and now it's running about the same number of views as The Little Red Hen which is simply scans of an old children's book. I've sent out quite a few downloads of the slideshow movie, and given out a few SD cards, and thumb drives. This has had mixed results. All but a couple of people who have seen it were very impressed. The flip side of that is that over half the people I've given it out to haven't bothered to watch it.<br /> The next effort will be the show at Whittier Historic Museum. This will take place on November 11. I'll be giving an afternoon, and an early evening show. Hope I don't end up sitting there all alone. We'll see.</span></div></div></div>JWMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05564732483476859555noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5415946761607993140.post-69700867698021411002023-09-14T18:15:00.000-07:002023-09-14T18:15:47.358-07:00Recalibrating<h1 style="text-align: center;"> <span style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: x-large;">Recalibrating</span></h1><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwA0D_ANvoC22MXZ74ODEulQah86KwNg7HiOK7Rc6TsP8KSo_j7eaZVBUu69y9ixT8bN1hTs3pT07IJqHCn18hXdPkty3QQzuXX1NUYY4wUClzm88oTy4SeZ2Ff62voS-HHIsiHKxelC1erVrFFwmamJ0lLNnCirwbPW8vOXb9vg58rWbwMYjtq6jUT8E/s5184/IMG_7802.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="5184" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwA0D_ANvoC22MXZ74ODEulQah86KwNg7HiOK7Rc6TsP8KSo_j7eaZVBUu69y9ixT8bN1hTs3pT07IJqHCn18hXdPkty3QQzuXX1NUYY4wUClzm88oTy4SeZ2Ff62voS-HHIsiHKxelC1erVrFFwmamJ0lLNnCirwbPW8vOXb9vg58rWbwMYjtq6jUT8E/w400-h266/IMG_7802.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br /></div><div><span style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: x-large;">Remember I mentioned getting a lot of "visits" from Singapore? Last night I was checking the Blogger dashboard, and just happened to click on the comments button. This shows a neat list of all the comments that have been posted on the blog since day one. Guess what I found? The comments were littered with spam, and phishing attempts. I nuked close to a hundred of them. Those Singapore web crawlers are cyber cockroaches that drop their nasty eggs all over where you won't see them. They are products of the human roaches in Singapore who do this out of malice, or do it in hopes of being able to get hold of your data, and ultimately, your money. I wish them the fate of cockroaches everywhere when the exterminator shows up with his spray tanks.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: x-large;">Anyway. Let's get on with the post</span></div><div><span style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: x-large;">"Recalibrating!"</span></div><div><span style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: x-large;">Now how's that for a fancy, high-tech, super scientific sounding title? You'd think I was engaged in some sort of highly </span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Garamond;">mathematical </span><span style="font-family: Garamond;">nuclear atomic physics engineering project that could blow up at any moment, and send us all to kingdom come.</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: x-large;">What it really means is that the base cut that I made the other day left the stone leaning awkwardly to one side. Now sometimes a little asymmetry is a good thing. Sometimes a little awkwardness can be endearing. But just as often it means that it just doesn't look right. </span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpTPth8Kod2SElPAe3oh5SQYlKNIqZdSX-AM-HUs7au6CoPMQsN_s6hVXNFfqGE54XnCplPwI_xGsQ7W8DXhZ9VaSi8fDoxkoa6_BVG6mfwz3ihq0cK3WlI-N4FZhvhL0YVdlmRTjoTid5PqKFnJcWCXVEpY7dq9P64Au8S5k2NYxT9Gpw8nkYPB_BUlI/s2074/IMG_7815%20copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1382" data-original-width="2074" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpTPth8Kod2SElPAe3oh5SQYlKNIqZdSX-AM-HUs7au6CoPMQsN_s6hVXNFfqGE54XnCplPwI_xGsQ7W8DXhZ9VaSi8fDoxkoa6_BVG6mfwz3ihq0cK3WlI-N4FZhvhL0YVdlmRTjoTid5PqKFnJcWCXVEpY7dq9P64Au8S5k2NYxT9Gpw8nkYPB_BUlI/w400-h266/IMG_7815%20copy.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrf-37ptBLHM_1SPSNW1AYlVWj5ZR-zDcbHe68dP6BOt9gXuLhvuIfvQWSKrAvurCzdTVL8ksxBBIf04h-5wjRxObvQS6NiufbWSOqD3cw22OYlwtlyqq_CD7M4TgCDfqpnh-RxGEcB9sdcRaxo9nHPn7LiW8i4NM79ncNLSRpO7MyqL4GCXTOukEHNuE/s2074/IMG_7816%20copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1382" data-original-width="2074" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrf-37ptBLHM_1SPSNW1AYlVWj5ZR-zDcbHe68dP6BOt9gXuLhvuIfvQWSKrAvurCzdTVL8ksxBBIf04h-5wjRxObvQS6NiufbWSOqD3cw22OYlwtlyqq_CD7M4TgCDfqpnh-RxGEcB9sdcRaxo9nHPn7LiW8i4NM79ncNLSRpO7MyqL4GCXTOukEHNuE/w400-h266/IMG_7816%20copy.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: x-large;">I don't always see it at first glance. I did not really notice it until I began rounding some corners, and working the raw rock into a basic shape that will grow into a finished composition. Nothing precise, or mathematical about it. It either looks right, or it doesn't. It didn't.</span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfcPtyeQHY7h_yusKvK3zaFQhPYEAuDFiPON0PhMd8ldiHT_xSl5kA-cO4n2JC62rqwBTxb5R7TNcGCz-v2Bm4pL3C3H8lqut9WaH_N5HIZdf6xAaaY23BgxM-sF6_I0ACBhQr6NoB_0vJjtIia1y1ma6W3v5V7nJ_BYm38bdzxMvWTO-JYmNE2jzutI0/s2074/IMG_7817%20copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1382" data-original-width="2074" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfcPtyeQHY7h_yusKvK3zaFQhPYEAuDFiPON0PhMd8ldiHT_xSl5kA-cO4n2JC62rqwBTxb5R7TNcGCz-v2Bm4pL3C3H8lqut9WaH_N5HIZdf6xAaaY23BgxM-sF6_I0ACBhQr6NoB_0vJjtIia1y1ma6W3v5V7nJ_BYm38bdzxMvWTO-JYmNE2jzutI0/w400-h266/IMG_7817%20copy.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyt7-XfB_WP9fsuA8vhVIhRc6-DEWiW4xdPZExEvsGYAOzSTRMVZbDbY_3kTm1H5tyMMB7HKR8VTeBAaJ6gvmqddvJWROEusnR_CTuzY0SY3dsKTzwWWmPcUU8kSjT85PbiBeXzX1IQDm0D8whDgcUt6k7E2j7f1ZLPM7B4YERkDXq7Qq2jXAk4fAdNtQ/s2074/IMG_7818%20copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1382" data-original-width="2074" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyt7-XfB_WP9fsuA8vhVIhRc6-DEWiW4xdPZExEvsGYAOzSTRMVZbDbY_3kTm1H5tyMMB7HKR8VTeBAaJ6gvmqddvJWROEusnR_CTuzY0SY3dsKTzwWWmPcUU8kSjT85PbiBeXzX1IQDm0D8whDgcUt6k7E2j7f1ZLPM7B4YERkDXq7Qq2jXAk4fAdNtQ/w400-h266/IMG_7818%20copy.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: x-large;"> What this meant is that I had to do another base cut. This is not the first time I've had to do this with a project. Even so, it feels like a mistake that I could have, and should have avoided.</span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFAwD45pAo9glmOzLlwWyUYcR9dxaY0OW8vJ1rbM2hT808Y5Gsw-7ZJaplDrZzs0t7nHKzNdFEgY_tekIEvbfNlUN-p7LNm0tfNXytYNy3DBqEoKr-l79zQnAv6Bxd6W5imRH6vIzjFtSi1W51tWhgs4G-pekxWgtRn7Px5sxqSbrnv1qZHzKtO6ZJPfE/s2074/IMG_7819%20copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1382" data-original-width="2074" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFAwD45pAo9glmOzLlwWyUYcR9dxaY0OW8vJ1rbM2hT808Y5Gsw-7ZJaplDrZzs0t7nHKzNdFEgY_tekIEvbfNlUN-p7LNm0tfNXytYNy3DBqEoKr-l79zQnAv6Bxd6W5imRH6vIzjFtSi1W51tWhgs4G-pekxWgtRn7Px5sxqSbrnv1qZHzKtO6ZJPfE/w400-h266/IMG_7819%20copy.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: x-large;">But the making the cut was surprisingly easy. A new blade in the bow saw certainly helped. Then, a return to the sanding board, which also went much easier than I thought it would. (hooray!)</span></div><div><span style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: x-large;">before:<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFcNGT1g7AR8VduRWj7ermldY4PF09ESD2mEqbTe0wxs59uNNxoWAUP0dcVnbkCJfh1tuDBjrHgw7GTinbyJoYrsEw-3imv3lZ3KH_ofvMq0r8ohZ00NOAmhgF8sZhiGlZTZQ1WfWRKhbd4HCO5t245P2eewE20Jl9dS6NPPgBEY2Lj3SDysQivF9eh2Q/s2074/IMG_7815%20copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1382" data-original-width="2074" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFcNGT1g7AR8VduRWj7ermldY4PF09ESD2mEqbTe0wxs59uNNxoWAUP0dcVnbkCJfh1tuDBjrHgw7GTinbyJoYrsEw-3imv3lZ3KH_ofvMq0r8ohZ00NOAmhgF8sZhiGlZTZQ1WfWRKhbd4HCO5t245P2eewE20Jl9dS6NPPgBEY2Lj3SDysQivF9eh2Q/w400-h266/IMG_7815%20copy.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: x-large;">after:<br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8WvBjW7LcTdbiePp2QgskWhQJr3LLqAkUZgp1Ft2AKKxMrfwA4qdhQv0DTCTuDVCuqsnz3x_6XjcsP3oBXr4wjkY2x-TAIBN6e8O88z83qEix_qJ_VoCORxJMfFY6DGxbs24aggq405NTQqN5h0UVo-NN3GyfesGqWxVEjzH5BXpi_NHWtswezEYoqcY/s2074/IMG_7820%20copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1382" data-original-width="2074" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8WvBjW7LcTdbiePp2QgskWhQJr3LLqAkUZgp1Ft2AKKxMrfwA4qdhQv0DTCTuDVCuqsnz3x_6XjcsP3oBXr4wjkY2x-TAIBN6e8O88z83qEix_qJ_VoCORxJMfFY6DGxbs24aggq405NTQqN5h0UVo-NN3GyfesGqWxVEjzH5BXpi_NHWtswezEYoqcY/w400-h266/IMG_7820%20copy.jpg" width="400" /></a></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: x-large;">Before: <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieIhicO0-_c4--5q8cYaYj6_Mka_Cqq6hOAQoOeHX0gIEWvm-IqIR-w9Pq7aCWYppZ5xMmtGiHFT_EEtyHvNjmKyYTytLHDM9ueeEC7BHPEzaRshYrq4P0cjLapIstBycmxawFEob8heQ6LvYZdrjN7ErFkZWFoeuF2u7ySQCilIoYY1H8hk02gAhtINI/s2074/IMG_7816%20copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1382" data-original-width="2074" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieIhicO0-_c4--5q8cYaYj6_Mka_Cqq6hOAQoOeHX0gIEWvm-IqIR-w9Pq7aCWYppZ5xMmtGiHFT_EEtyHvNjmKyYTytLHDM9ueeEC7BHPEzaRshYrq4P0cjLapIstBycmxawFEob8heQ6LvYZdrjN7ErFkZWFoeuF2u7ySQCilIoYY1H8hk02gAhtINI/w400-h266/IMG_7816%20copy.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">After:<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLWtu6NFbCoXeVVCtQShsCNEL7Uj_qRxVELBrdjBJutxm9QKLmfYwidMP6Zk655FCbgSYb3Erlt3dngrxUAo3VmRhMgRCDBNTfUlEm1HFkarnDk3G2t7ipFtIeHXwA_MtO0cRKxLAaikQfdf5zV1JC6gy_8j87JtuiOMhwP9IQ_ZOUPYGcXkig0Dpzd4o/s2074/IMG_7821%20copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1382" data-original-width="2074" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLWtu6NFbCoXeVVCtQShsCNEL7Uj_qRxVELBrdjBJutxm9QKLmfYwidMP6Zk655FCbgSYb3Erlt3dngrxUAo3VmRhMgRCDBNTfUlEm1HFkarnDk3G2t7ipFtIeHXwA_MtO0cRKxLAaikQfdf5zV1JC6gy_8j87JtuiOMhwP9IQ_ZOUPYGcXkig0Dpzd4o/w400-h266/IMG_7821%20copy.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /></div>Add a little water:</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhW1KPxSbT9ZJsZ-uvtfyex_C4sTbjO_cLjfkqkrn-zH09kSw5J3s2HgG0tumBovpV_2DXcrGOaHUMu2IkHx9bMqYr0IsQFUCL0sh-zqNDASLVX-3Crc-PPiYKE4M4L7DZ-KPana1fkHVgoM9_Qa9EZNsHSMDq0Dwwz84RVgYgGUrblvIHExMHylh-zOqY/s2074/IMG_7824%20copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1382" data-original-width="2074" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhW1KPxSbT9ZJsZ-uvtfyex_C4sTbjO_cLjfkqkrn-zH09kSw5J3s2HgG0tumBovpV_2DXcrGOaHUMu2IkHx9bMqYr0IsQFUCL0sh-zqNDASLVX-3Crc-PPiYKE4M4L7DZ-KPana1fkHVgoM9_Qa9EZNsHSMDq0Dwwz84RVgYgGUrblvIHExMHylh-zOqY/w400-h266/IMG_7824%20copy.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqEI2zHJlI-P1hZ-aLOMvkALwyzDYBR3AiIxC1hvckH_ynwRObPNe5Nwt8lwquj2j5VGNLYAOuehH1HOgiZz9i-X8DViVPlIMOtn257So70tXKFfPip2ipFS_SL60n5TI7XIdWRDBRgoEen7SeepUV3gN5fgwWekoAcPhclEwQaxa7DH-VPa2scZ9s4BE/s2074/IMG_7825%20copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1382" data-original-width="2074" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqEI2zHJlI-P1hZ-aLOMvkALwyzDYBR3AiIxC1hvckH_ynwRObPNe5Nwt8lwquj2j5VGNLYAOuehH1HOgiZz9i-X8DViVPlIMOtn257So70tXKFfPip2ipFS_SL60n5TI7XIdWRDBRgoEen7SeepUV3gN5fgwWekoAcPhclEwQaxa7DH-VPa2scZ9s4BE/w400-h266/IMG_7825%20copy.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-K59LLsoeDIIlPunAckcolxkG7_up8hHpEc7l4GBFKyUgrTJJaQjXOw8_J7KgRQ99gVrWbI-5b4gdpL-hEdS1mfVHA-nUUJ9hT55R4KbgIcL9pmGNnJGwgmoWuLrV839wpRqi8zq4rtl-bWbq5l_rEWwM8AGVP6Bz_JMXHm-dEkLDKFeEjS6FyZXBw0M/s2074/IMG_7826%20copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1382" data-original-width="2074" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-K59LLsoeDIIlPunAckcolxkG7_up8hHpEc7l4GBFKyUgrTJJaQjXOw8_J7KgRQ99gVrWbI-5b4gdpL-hEdS1mfVHA-nUUJ9hT55R4KbgIcL9pmGNnJGwgmoWuLrV839wpRqi8zq4rtl-bWbq5l_rEWwM8AGVP6Bz_JMXHm-dEkLDKFeEjS6FyZXBw0M/w400-h266/IMG_7826%20copy.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: x-large;">Ready to Rock n' Roll! (note most clever pun!)</span></div>JWMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05564732483476859555noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5415946761607993140.post-61961704575246297102023-09-12T06:29:00.000-07:002023-09-12T06:29:15.986-07:00September Stone<h1 style="text-align: center;"> <span style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: x-large;">September Stone</span></h1><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgo6sUJLcHyF5n-xsf8xZ66RlaHDd5OM3DG10Y7pTmNuj5pgW1AZ9KSo4cjpxCnZ_CjhQV9vGeh9XjTTtJNI9sCvH6EmRihfbpIhjexXJ_nl8MCoqwpa22vfzLke00PHkPSgSD-n31eDyAJGS8JkUcyQT8YjcgNd4LL56tlGzgECeTmB_yx2Ig-OANgk-k/s5184/IMG_7797.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="5184" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgo6sUJLcHyF5n-xsf8xZ66RlaHDd5OM3DG10Y7pTmNuj5pgW1AZ9KSo4cjpxCnZ_CjhQV9vGeh9XjTTtJNI9sCvH6EmRihfbpIhjexXJ_nl8MCoqwpa22vfzLke00PHkPSgSD-n31eDyAJGS8JkUcyQT8YjcgNd4LL56tlGzgECeTmB_yx2Ig-OANgk-k/w400-h266/IMG_7797.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpMCX3t29zHg2bTBv_0AOzPBUEr4zyFUxCJjkLTZn36sByArgutu1zue5TXAdQWxdx42iQFf6gHNXYGIIl1UxV1H1zOXxQT2gz4I0zTAsnYXJ7tY-gr2rcsu7mGCJSjR1eKVg0FsMRVGlKb6aTkSuFRwGlC3L1xlTxPjz8gfOrfKy4DWXvWxwpLIkkOPw/s5184/IMG_7798.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="5184" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpMCX3t29zHg2bTBv_0AOzPBUEr4zyFUxCJjkLTZn36sByArgutu1zue5TXAdQWxdx42iQFf6gHNXYGIIl1UxV1H1zOXxQT2gz4I0zTAsnYXJ7tY-gr2rcsu7mGCJSjR1eKVg0FsMRVGlKb6aTkSuFRwGlC3L1xlTxPjz8gfOrfKy4DWXvWxwpLIkkOPw/w400-h266/IMG_7798.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcxPH8-QA8hDVam4NNZioSYugRONFh2Nc_IhdWpLp8q7_BP-ceTFKhQPemtk5IlWsU-5QfE5o2HAn7woT2qsQYdMZHJJScKNwCq2pqUrmDVKUv5chiyeJRZQXV9pAggdk7q0BffNDIlZssWb6-psd_dE7L2YcxUtJR32kgXOsEt1wKbF3QDSLugx8cIy8/s5184/IMG_7799.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="5184" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcxPH8-QA8hDVam4NNZioSYugRONFh2Nc_IhdWpLp8q7_BP-ceTFKhQPemtk5IlWsU-5QfE5o2HAn7woT2qsQYdMZHJJScKNwCq2pqUrmDVKUv5chiyeJRZQXV9pAggdk7q0BffNDIlZssWb6-psd_dE7L2YcxUtJR32kgXOsEt1wKbF3QDSLugx8cIy8/w400-h266/IMG_7799.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkmHyx_yMZTKMO9cBLBx4TvqHeC-vTzdJSr6W5YH70OttMCdVPF2RJvGuNLkZTNpA4kXcxvtZfwr3WrhTM74-idLdqjCSyETGeLjnKWpnQ8kpgc187__W4UKmojVqPSJGPKSmT5AfFDJ1ZeOkFg3QpHWVeN8AJi_EdLn92nLYIgnYtzWFYRMejfcfCHXk/s5184/IMG_7800.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="5184" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkmHyx_yMZTKMO9cBLBx4TvqHeC-vTzdJSr6W5YH70OttMCdVPF2RJvGuNLkZTNpA4kXcxvtZfwr3WrhTM74-idLdqjCSyETGeLjnKWpnQ8kpgc187__W4UKmojVqPSJGPKSmT5AfFDJ1ZeOkFg3QpHWVeN8AJi_EdLn92nLYIgnYtzWFYRMejfcfCHXk/w400-h266/IMG_7800.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: x-large;">9/11/23</span></div><div><span style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: x-large;">I come up with these snazzy titles in hopes of drawing the zillions of viewers who are surely out there just waiting to hear what I have to say. Actually I've been getting a whole bunch of views, but they're all from Singapore. Singapore? I cannot imagine that anyone in Singapore gives a crap about some cranky old fart like me pecking away at a vanity blog here in So Cal. Furthermore, I have slightly less than zero interest in cultivating a readership there. The only way it makes any sense is if the visits from Asia are bots of some sort scouring the web for something to steal, or feed into some AI program, the better to respond to image prompts, or mimic American speech patterns. In any case, I'd block them, or tell them to piss off if I could.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: x-large;"> Now that that is out of the way...</span></div><div><span style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: x-large;">This has been a good day, and it started with that most rare of occurrences, a very pleasant dream in the early hours of the morning. One of the things I like about smoking dope is that when you go to bed with a buzz, you don't dream, you just sleep. The dream energy is used up fueling the flight of imagination when the weed kicks in. I like that aspect of smoking because most all of my dreams are some degree of unpleasant, and often fall into night terrors.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: x-large;">But I haven't had a buzz since June, and I really don't want to catch one. Kinda' done with it, y'know? To everything there is a season, and all that.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: x-large;">Anyway.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: x-large;">Today is the first day since I got sick that I feel like I'm running on something like my normal level of energy, so I got to work on a new stone. The pics up top are the raw material. It's a forty pound chunk of Anza Borrego Alabaster, mostly black but with some white layered in, and maybe even some red. Some of the white on the face has some translucence. Maybe the inner layers, too. We'll see. </span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjONhN2R9BvlGzI-3xYfVAUsiyhH4JwYhYf7w1Xi_E-n-vXozzwPibRE__1FCRgs9wPLk4qZMmEmL3LVaoA0WRsNHmplViyurPqVODdRz0hWG1i9fdeZeTJ6qBahEMuspi33qXveXIL9GNJMN-m1ts1WlrSezfZhjA24E7SiaZ1Srf9EB126rFprmR8o6M/s5184/IMG_7802.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="5184" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjONhN2R9BvlGzI-3xYfVAUsiyhH4JwYhYf7w1Xi_E-n-vXozzwPibRE__1FCRgs9wPLk4qZMmEmL3LVaoA0WRsNHmplViyurPqVODdRz0hWG1i9fdeZeTJ6qBahEMuspi33qXveXIL9GNJMN-m1ts1WlrSezfZhjA24E7SiaZ1Srf9EB126rFprmR8o6M/w400-h266/IMG_7802.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguP6LP9K05_qtfXlWwhzkAflH2BNZdIAS671TMx-A0lCp9LndUdQ1qbLRce_pZGVYQa3uiW-3PsuMZmXqkfQMLA_Ln00NZJ4nwNV7LOpEqkINe4i07riYKwF7GOrxSmV5yMrCjobQyN5wBzXaz7fRQtP2AkF1PWf3__Dlc0-ShsFv47mE11oj6F_abCjI/s5184/IMG_7804.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="5184" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguP6LP9K05_qtfXlWwhzkAflH2BNZdIAS671TMx-A0lCp9LndUdQ1qbLRce_pZGVYQa3uiW-3PsuMZmXqkfQMLA_Ln00NZJ4nwNV7LOpEqkINe4i07riYKwF7GOrxSmV5yMrCjobQyN5wBzXaz7fRQtP2AkF1PWf3__Dlc0-ShsFv47mE11oj6F_abCjI/w400-h266/IMG_7804.JPG" width="400" /></a></div></div><div><span style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: x-large;">The first step is what I call the take down. I got out the angle grinder with a 50 grit disc, shaved all the weathered material off the face, and ground it smooth enough to sketch on. Then I stood it on end, found the point of balance, scribed a pencil line around the stone and cut the base with a bow saw. The base cut is done by sawing along the pencil line, going slowly around and around the stone.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: x-large;">Add a little water to bring up the color:</span></div><div><span style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYYJjSfYpbULiN6jXeUvb8Qlx915X_fbUTryP8FiBAHWqd4Nm3y6jhou_UGozdUH8OX56huPiIoLRl36j7hRgZyba_NwI7IszE4XnyQ1AS2Ic30pt00Tn-YrqKir8b9BJNrLPj0PQwu5fyIPZNn-DRu-ijKYtHpqx04z3O0xgNAsbppV47iKwrmyjx_-U/s5184/IMG_7806.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="5184" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYYJjSfYpbULiN6jXeUvb8Qlx915X_fbUTryP8FiBAHWqd4Nm3y6jhou_UGozdUH8OX56huPiIoLRl36j7hRgZyba_NwI7IszE4XnyQ1AS2Ic30pt00Tn-YrqKir8b9BJNrLPj0PQwu5fyIPZNn-DRu-ijKYtHpqx04z3O0xgNAsbppV47iKwrmyjx_-U/w400-h266/IMG_7806.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguad8Bn9rrFf2EZWR-CsXfLs1aQSuODAhB7kO34ivTaUKR7nXC9Q2kwUJe3g2u4J2yHfdh7FYEFY8nriXtKDxkZPMwmvtv6SjrGatXC0NCG6xeZcgk9Z0nkQz96vjqY6ey3tGoQlRqkC3urAkZyAI6yQKBQzHgFB3zFGrDjS9XsJfsp36vq3k2vcdJyoI/s5184/IMG_7807.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="5184" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguad8Bn9rrFf2EZWR-CsXfLs1aQSuODAhB7kO34ivTaUKR7nXC9Q2kwUJe3g2u4J2yHfdh7FYEFY8nriXtKDxkZPMwmvtv6SjrGatXC0NCG6xeZcgk9Z0nkQz96vjqY6ey3tGoQlRqkC3urAkZyAI6yQKBQzHgFB3zFGrDjS9XsJfsp36vq3k2vcdJyoI/w400-h266/IMG_7807.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhp-HfqdJAY0WQxdwUgc5avRHqA8reFibNL1LI9mZclwvaYR42ae7RUWdlStyJ3ybchOrZ7qrRMQ_L65Ht4tVQPw3EzE6WoKI73JAhVvw_KxQ138gIlL6Eg7AJztjl235X4gcdAMW734HCLKFhcrXrQTlmKjWxG2mzrG4gNt7c_HKTIKhn1RvukTyEpiK0/s5184/IMG_7809.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="5184" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhp-HfqdJAY0WQxdwUgc5avRHqA8reFibNL1LI9mZclwvaYR42ae7RUWdlStyJ3ybchOrZ7qrRMQ_L65Ht4tVQPw3EzE6WoKI73JAhVvw_KxQ138gIlL6Eg7AJztjl235X4gcdAMW734HCLKFhcrXrQTlmKjWxG2mzrG4gNt7c_HKTIKhn1RvukTyEpiK0/w400-h266/IMG_7809.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCaKaeTQH2ejnq24vXs_VkV7eZso_5ZLhGnoT5KCAqrVKnDm2Wk1EuQe7K0KoyDaoil-bgssNGTTyTpnQpyqwaga96ipSWmWuIyKmGBgHCTcRebphLEL9VGVwo5GAFDQDML616Og19DXcBj0mQ_5Te-iq5gizJySQW0twTi7j3Gh_bMmbjpiCryXbWDlE/s5184/IMG_7810.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="5184" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCaKaeTQH2ejnq24vXs_VkV7eZso_5ZLhGnoT5KCAqrVKnDm2Wk1EuQe7K0KoyDaoil-bgssNGTTyTpnQpyqwaga96ipSWmWuIyKmGBgHCTcRebphLEL9VGVwo5GAFDQDML616Og19DXcBj0mQ_5Te-iq5gizJySQW0twTi7j3Gh_bMmbjpiCryXbWDlE/w400-h266/IMG_7810.JPG" width="400" /></a></div></div><div><br /></div><div><span style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: x-large;"> </span></div><div><span style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: x-large;">Next is the sanding board. The base has to, of course, sit perfectly flat on a table without wobbling. This next part is tedious, but necessary...</span></div><div><span style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div>JWMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05564732483476859555noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5415946761607993140.post-12673515947750876822023-09-09T11:20:00.000-07:002023-09-09T11:20:09.198-07:00Post Screed Post<p style="text-align: center;"> <span style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: x-large;">Post Screed Post</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></p><span style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: x-large;">I tossed up a very angry post the other day, and took it down the next morning. Glad I did. Fortunately it had only a few views. I let fly out of frustration and impatience that had fused like resin and catalyst into a lump of toxic anger.</span><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><span style="text-align: left;"><br /></span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjH1LzSoEJhYKpoGJpaUpy6Y807wCtV9T3uAvMK8unyi-MTIaoIGjy0NSsL_tp6ZKdVk-u8qO_ssiHM6VV1GNvSqcIjvbCdBlsec9nAQPJXsQ5qyvJ_muPsrDZv4BACp41i92ty07hBk-YnJ3xaZvosx40uZ11reLpn_eS31bP1TiDLlJhyipZNWlC-FWU/s5184/IMG_7666%20copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="5184" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjH1LzSoEJhYKpoGJpaUpy6Y807wCtV9T3uAvMK8unyi-MTIaoIGjy0NSsL_tp6ZKdVk-u8qO_ssiHM6VV1GNvSqcIjvbCdBlsec9nAQPJXsQ5qyvJ_muPsrDZv4BACp41i92ty07hBk-YnJ3xaZvosx40uZ11reLpn_eS31bP1TiDLlJhyipZNWlC-FWU/w400-h266/IMG_7666%20copy.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUdyGrA2SCId3ysIiZwnVzvVEDZQgwqU7VRpQWRqhmNLY4FJq3X0vgP4s7EXNweD9zenK7hfFN48P1zZ1zIbCoQtqGFUG4wwsIxeIvyOmvcz6QrN7McC34dSUUC4tEske3m5hs_cfdt9_qkrNzJDaQMMTPCU5NFiEHGBKtckHJPkZtuYibrmW-B08HADI/s5184/IMG_7730%20copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="5184" data-original-width="3456" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUdyGrA2SCId3ysIiZwnVzvVEDZQgwqU7VRpQWRqhmNLY4FJq3X0vgP4s7EXNweD9zenK7hfFN48P1zZ1zIbCoQtqGFUG4wwsIxeIvyOmvcz6QrN7McC34dSUUC4tEske3m5hs_cfdt9_qkrNzJDaQMMTPCU5NFiEHGBKtckHJPkZtuYibrmW-B08HADI/w266-h400/IMG_7730%20copy.jpg" width="266" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span><p></p><p style="text-align: left;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: x-large;">I have not been in a good frame of mind as of late. Not at all. The root of this is physical. I am still running on very low energy, very poor stamina, and very irregular sleep. I'll have a good day where I feel like I'm getting my strength back, then toss and turn all night, and get out of bed feeling shitty again. Wake up at 3:00, get out of bed at 4:00. By 10:00 I'm exhausted. Sometimes I can catch a doze late in the morning, and awaken with enough energy to get some small stuff done, but it fades pretty fast.</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: x-large;"> Small irritations become major affronts. The news of the day kills off any optimism I can muster. I want to get to work on something, anything other than sitting at the keyboard, but I just don't have the juice to do it. </span></p><p style="text-align: left;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipWM3Ru2r5PQllT-CaUVKJV2iIbdJ0TWTTv0xWIeWPXyijFFP5mEUPM1C4GLcIwsH8gT4M-C_qW5SEMEiw_YsfjSRh9S3NwsSUFIwRO2j6apN579FoeAqLzyvfU18Hf5PwVYM34mV14S77OHSJucfF0QYf23B-Xr6dg-ta6DnLPCywbNjxZdxZvynyY6o/s3048/IMG_7732%20copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2724" data-original-width="3048" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipWM3Ru2r5PQllT-CaUVKJV2iIbdJ0TWTTv0xWIeWPXyijFFP5mEUPM1C4GLcIwsH8gT4M-C_qW5SEMEiw_YsfjSRh9S3NwsSUFIwRO2j6apN579FoeAqLzyvfU18Hf5PwVYM34mV14S77OHSJucfF0QYf23B-Xr6dg-ta6DnLPCywbNjxZdxZvynyY6o/w400-h358/IMG_7732%20copy.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKxfp_5TiME7nD8SnyUHC9SUg7x0dq_wTIipwRYXhJlBA75XfZ4D9TvO1OcFd4OrHxQN2ci0ira3X7FoS0AqHHTqZkuWOQBiY4xRLX6Zd7L1oT5j_YPbnQxo6oItt_xD6J_sGkWlByCs-Snl9YxwMcqha_AhsWwlGUuO9qr1LHYqIFUsyP70gZIDpOrUo/s3000/IMG_7741%20copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2364" data-original-width="3000" height="315" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKxfp_5TiME7nD8SnyUHC9SUg7x0dq_wTIipwRYXhJlBA75XfZ4D9TvO1OcFd4OrHxQN2ci0ira3X7FoS0AqHHTqZkuWOQBiY4xRLX6Zd7L1oT5j_YPbnQxo6oItt_xD6J_sGkWlByCs-Snl9YxwMcqha_AhsWwlGUuO9qr1LHYqIFUsyP70gZIDpOrUo/w400-h315/IMG_7741%20copy.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span><p></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: x-large;">The San Pedro bloom was spectacular this summer. Clouds of bees, and those big, metallic green June Beetles showed up to feast on the pollen. We have a bush in the back yard that has attracted thousands of bright yellow butterflies. The bush is alive with stripped yellow caterpillars, and pink and green chrysalids are hanging all over the place. </span></p><p style="text-align: left;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGLA-gvGPt1iF-_cyuSGG-txgMeu1v-nJSJbOdTmQnJKDeHToH9hFxGeGTx0GsIFljF1UXm-INBOd-eRVk4-a5SRTAnuvZGka5xMvM-AweFT0-ISdAM3p8zKnKENE3q7tZd4BmFd-YCcOBIaZaR8wzeOun9rd8mjiDoXReDRs_tcvqXJ8BYioduW6yyK0/s3036/IMG_7744%20copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2496" data-original-width="3036" height="329" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGLA-gvGPt1iF-_cyuSGG-txgMeu1v-nJSJbOdTmQnJKDeHToH9hFxGeGTx0GsIFljF1UXm-INBOd-eRVk4-a5SRTAnuvZGka5xMvM-AweFT0-ISdAM3p8zKnKENE3q7tZd4BmFd-YCcOBIaZaR8wzeOun9rd8mjiDoXReDRs_tcvqXJ8BYioduW6yyK0/w400-h329/IMG_7744%20copy.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span><p></p><p style="text-align: left;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSoqO1ycxptPiMtxRrDL5KBXpBPxq8WnuFnRk5pEpGN6dKvhBaczWSMhWGc7udBk2NORoNF696hQx_9sd6aNd7U4AYLA6rhfPTw0sgWnIB32uzLcYrgPgG7xHM3VCwJ9Et5PuOzwH9N1EnKLI3POf1UrtbFsc8XKKRw7ZYKTuPt_pi19AYrmCb6RHItvY/s2562/IMG_7764%20copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2208" data-original-width="2562" height="345" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSoqO1ycxptPiMtxRrDL5KBXpBPxq8WnuFnRk5pEpGN6dKvhBaczWSMhWGc7udBk2NORoNF696hQx_9sd6aNd7U4AYLA6rhfPTw0sgWnIB32uzLcYrgPgG7xHM3VCwJ9Et5PuOzwH9N1EnKLI3POf1UrtbFsc8XKKRw7ZYKTuPt_pi19AYrmCb6RHItvY/w400-h345/IMG_7764%20copy.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span><p></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: x-large;">I've been taking the camera out back, and snapping photos of the worms, and chrysalids, but the butterflies are maddeningly elusive. </span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRUBL7M3yGx8GatDLsp65XrUr7LGk9b03-qTynridTvnLyo3NQ9XLKIGB64Z_OYRSVjnBmxmxlYboxhc76Tcn2LtyEvBKK_FKDgqXbQvxMq_VGWvpPTs_9XDhxnYCBcCWFGs4gjTyAEe6zOpm1sU6wTZ-9T5Ac2x5st-dMC56DVnYqiPizMo3v4RcVdE4/s2592/IMG_7773%20copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2214" data-original-width="2592" height="341" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRUBL7M3yGx8GatDLsp65XrUr7LGk9b03-qTynridTvnLyo3NQ9XLKIGB64Z_OYRSVjnBmxmxlYboxhc76Tcn2LtyEvBKK_FKDgqXbQvxMq_VGWvpPTs_9XDhxnYCBcCWFGs4gjTyAEe6zOpm1sU6wTZ-9T5Ac2x5st-dMC56DVnYqiPizMo3v4RcVdE4/w400-h341/IMG_7773%20copy.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrj0OkT3i4rmmMg-RWRJ2OGH2Fiqq7eL0cn_-PyM0O6JRd9HhA7yiDN26pBeQ1AO3X-6eBgaUXiBHvr6JxV3Edin44U6pdxlElJdhVSNJT3aXMcEWrq6D8SBpe4149IaG2yGnVuUPGyNLazRz2PEEFrK_Ej6nB5JvIuC0dQgrsZplfs-ZWYFv5QQQW9Yw/s2748/IMG_7756%20copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2022" data-original-width="2748" height="294" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrj0OkT3i4rmmMg-RWRJ2OGH2Fiqq7eL0cn_-PyM0O6JRd9HhA7yiDN26pBeQ1AO3X-6eBgaUXiBHvr6JxV3Edin44U6pdxlElJdhVSNJT3aXMcEWrq6D8SBpe4149IaG2yGnVuUPGyNLazRz2PEEFrK_Ej6nB5JvIuC0dQgrsZplfs-ZWYFv5QQQW9Yw/w400-h294/IMG_7756%20copy.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8Zqkqg3E3BgV7MMbMiX8UjujMpKz8_3MTDzXAJk2CGrfQUdcqkfdrdNdnoepVcSid_zhag0-taKvTDRXMUSNUfqF4gbuFT4VspJYFGQS4M7nf_rUmgg6dAICzsSps3uOdLrmi-sV5GSlUJLe3uwxzrjFRDiLI7Z8PSfNrFvAnH6bClwRz1WmL-mnDbnE/s2496/IMG_7739%20copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2028" data-original-width="2496" height="325" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8Zqkqg3E3BgV7MMbMiX8UjujMpKz8_3MTDzXAJk2CGrfQUdcqkfdrdNdnoepVcSid_zhag0-taKvTDRXMUSNUfqF4gbuFT4VspJYFGQS4M7nf_rUmgg6dAICzsSps3uOdLrmi-sV5GSlUJLe3uwxzrjFRDiLI7Z8PSfNrFvAnH6bClwRz1WmL-mnDbnE/w400-h325/IMG_7739%20copy.jpg" width="400" /></a></div></span><p></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: x-large;">They come individually, and in clusters, and clouds, but they move fast, and never alight for as much as a second. When they do pause on a stem, or a tree trunk they do so with their wings folded. </span></p><p style="text-align: left;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2rsNcZZtBqjjZMxY0KfNK8dmT2pQOK-IXTXD3Yu2L_yuLVcfAWoqQQJHvQexgxKAoyHOXT6wteo5AaDDtSFBbNzmPhzp7VWvN9ziKVYaHQbkyLHsQZ42_eiNf86Ojko3dtikhSZhjh2Jo9QsJt3mlwMvEvNgLe6NBDtnKtgEHL0knVtI0AOUD6YWd8d4/s2784/IMG_7781%20copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2196" data-original-width="2784" height="315" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2rsNcZZtBqjjZMxY0KfNK8dmT2pQOK-IXTXD3Yu2L_yuLVcfAWoqQQJHvQexgxKAoyHOXT6wteo5AaDDtSFBbNzmPhzp7VWvN9ziKVYaHQbkyLHsQZ42_eiNf86Ojko3dtikhSZhjh2Jo9QsJt3mlwMvEvNgLe6NBDtnKtgEHL0knVtI0AOUD6YWd8d4/w400-h315/IMG_7781%20copy.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHxdbOu8BaeubqvPmjxsNkadSgn6xqCb9CK6AoTDT1UXtIUTgvoANO46OJwSZwLvpExgprRc_0Bpc9im2PvE7eU0dYlagbrnxtFIbppxgk1XyONvRdBiiW3RtzYmqeymHO78ffbX7Tq6dCOfcjs_SMYv2BJ4SEpf_JjQUO8eHYiVU2yN-MqFWWqZ81PqY/s1392/IMG_7782%20copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1020" data-original-width="1392" height="293" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHxdbOu8BaeubqvPmjxsNkadSgn6xqCb9CK6AoTDT1UXtIUTgvoANO46OJwSZwLvpExgprRc_0Bpc9im2PvE7eU0dYlagbrnxtFIbppxgk1XyONvRdBiiW3RtzYmqeymHO78ffbX7Tq6dCOfcjs_SMYv2BJ4SEpf_JjQUO8eHYiVU2yN-MqFWWqZ81PqY/w400-h293/IMG_7782%20copy.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span><p></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: x-large;">But photography isn't my thing. I like to snap a good shot as much as the next guy, but I don't have any passion for it. It's just something to do to kill time.</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: x-large;">Forbearance isn't easy right now. It seems like a luxury afforded only to the very fortunate, and I'm not in that club. I can still acknowledge that I am, indeed very richly blessed in many things, but acknowledgement resides way up in the intellect. Emotions, and physical states charge up from deep in the gut, and they swamp acknowledgement and reason every time. I can count my blessings, but all too often, I can't quite feel them.</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: x-large;">But there is good stuff. My latest stone project took second place at the fall show at Whittier Art Association. The competition (if you want to call it that) was stiff. Whittier Art Gallery is not amateur hour. I'm very happy with this.</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: x-large;">I finally got some of the feedback I was waiting for on The Lost Era movie. It was overwhelmingly good. This, too, makes me happy. It reassures me that the work I have done has not been an empty effort. But, of course, there is still work to be done. Dion gave me a good suggestion. Maybe try to approach the public television network. I had not thought of that. We'll see. I have to call Nick at the Whittier museum as well. I may not have the juice to wrestle a big stone, but standing up to introduce the film takes little effort. That I can do, and I'm looking forward to doing it.</span></p>JWMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05564732483476859555noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5415946761607993140.post-80860878622250133272023-08-27T19:44:00.002-07:002023-08-27T20:00:15.245-07:00Smallstone complete!<p><br /></p><span style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><h1 style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: x-large;">Smallstone complete!</span></h1><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div>I finally got back to work, and completed my stone, after many days of being horribly ill. "Finishing day" always takes several very tedious days to complete. It's sand, sand, sand, 150 grit, 220 grit, 320 grit, 400 grit, then 0000 steel wool and water. Then 600 grit wet, now 1000 grit wet, now 2000 grit wet, and finally, the Simichrome Polish, which is a miracle in a can, but brutally hard on the hands even with rubber gloves. Finally I get to the Treewax, and a soft cloth. But then I have to go back very carefully, with 220 grit to re-rough the base. At long last it's time to get the camera. Here's how it all came out:</span><p><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: x-large;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_77OhFg_tdGplTVTsTAcOuGUDtrqaFLMksC7QJUDIMPldESWwuKaAxj2t2qJ845iQsicjOD7iPZAZ3SXKvoQVGZf1iHmI5JhijASJFLwE35EWvu4yT9e_OmtfquNA_ecWhb7t0j4GK06_3k8UwG92Xl0VgQwg4wDUnb105DWw7T5y26e7OZll920jwW8/s3426/IMG_7602%20copy.jpg" style="background-color: white; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3426" data-original-width="2418" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_77OhFg_tdGplTVTsTAcOuGUDtrqaFLMksC7QJUDIMPldESWwuKaAxj2t2qJ845iQsicjOD7iPZAZ3SXKvoQVGZf1iHmI5JhijASJFLwE35EWvu4yT9e_OmtfquNA_ecWhb7t0j4GK06_3k8UwG92Xl0VgQwg4wDUnb105DWw7T5y26e7OZll920jwW8/w453-h640/IMG_7602%20copy.jpg" width="453" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmr0jUKOaRAmOK5uNOrVO4Qcm2_MMyC6dFdTUmgr15-fuxL7iyzaxe5dJo1VCgorPJQNU-gozRTwl_fJjysK23RjaqPkseKejTKsjEqwIUTUQpYB4C0I8cOiA2rDFpbNoeLGd6TNVCf6TY0iofxmrTewIiDQCSiCFxEVwSIzH0Sgnk3FqrWUvhhQ-Wmkw/s3420/IMG_7606%20copy.jpg" style="background-color: white; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3420" data-original-width="2502" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmr0jUKOaRAmOK5uNOrVO4Qcm2_MMyC6dFdTUmgr15-fuxL7iyzaxe5dJo1VCgorPJQNU-gozRTwl_fJjysK23RjaqPkseKejTKsjEqwIUTUQpYB4C0I8cOiA2rDFpbNoeLGd6TNVCf6TY0iofxmrTewIiDQCSiCFxEVwSIzH0Sgnk3FqrWUvhhQ-Wmkw/w469-h640/IMG_7606%20copy.jpg" width="469" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><br /><span style="background-color: white;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: x-large;">This piece of Anza Borrego alabaster has wonderful translucence, and I worked it a thin as I dared to take advantage of the light without leaving it ridiculously fragile. I mean for these things to last. The figure is graceful, although the form itself leans into the strange, and borders on the grotesque, as many of my pieces seem to do. Here it is in<br />the morning light:</span><div><span><span style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span><span style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlfq49gzQyKpL5SEzvrnj9Igg6ByimDoGRlSQcyqlDW7rhjmPMdGd64D7fSiLzs8_TG7QTSIhWGy93Pl4JVbwm6KtWEEiCKqBk5-emWqdiwBIDjcet0Xu04pTCFRI-fFw5a-Ta17W7lDNOZskCKKhSxqOsVP0QilBluSZYBG_VaHzhFnSl1jnkeJVYQuA/s3282/IMG_7631%20copy.jpg" style="background-color: white; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3282" data-original-width="2214" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlfq49gzQyKpL5SEzvrnj9Igg6ByimDoGRlSQcyqlDW7rhjmPMdGd64D7fSiLzs8_TG7QTSIhWGy93Pl4JVbwm6KtWEEiCKqBk5-emWqdiwBIDjcet0Xu04pTCFRI-fFw5a-Ta17W7lDNOZskCKKhSxqOsVP0QilBluSZYBG_VaHzhFnSl1jnkeJVYQuA/w432-h640/IMG_7631%20copy.jpg" width="432" /></a></span></span></div><span><span style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><div style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><span style="background-color: white;"><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0sqLO8gY3wyMdhRbcDdtEe-r52np2AAjnCyfVFMoQxuaUBGsNc5nRB2WBp1aDGINmS9unKvEUi9EfuzPkQ87w-Ro8033TD9xQo61ZqTP9Fzcj78nMMpmFEGC2NMqVTif4WZ6uYUpz9nBx_Oy6EE4G_1N5zkxsvXMhQLMic_At3m4aLDul20ujuqlrUco/w437-h640/IMG_7621%20copy.jpg" style="background-color: transparent;" /></div></span></span></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJFMuTbN-DPiY03CbLj2zsFkmkz-3uwzZVQqPrMabTP_Iz1KyJ8bJAzWSphMp4HHGK5Dd9R4viVJfqSkp7pdZ8FkwIupMn-OqIqdYeGggil9WEFR0lsAWiENKLwjK3c7yw8VaAaDXenTrI5jhubeSSPtr34_0CJkGacm3bifYpnqBLqP2nH3h80HQZnf4/w478-h640/IMG_7617%20copy.jpg" style="background-color: transparent;" /></div></span><p></p><br /><br /><span style="font-size: x-large;">I</span><span style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: x-large;"> love doing this. There is no greater joy than the work we do to create some beauty for the world.<br /><br />Speaking of which, I hardly have to point out that the world is in a dreadful state right now. There is a great Darkness settling in on our nation, and what we have come to cherish as Western Civilization in the whole. It is deeply frightening, and there is little we can do to fight it. But "little" is far from "nothing," and fight it we must.<br /><br />But how? How do we fight this thing when even some of our friends and loved ones embrace the void? Most of my friends in the real world, and on-line are writers, musicians, and artists. Our weapons against the Darkness, are Goodness, Truth, and Beauty. As writers, musicians, and artists we are warriors in the Beauty division. Beauty speaks Truth, and in Truth dwells Goodness. Hone your weapons and fight like hell.<br /><br />Let the lazy, and talentless fill the internet with phony AI pseudo-art; we choose to bust our asses creating the real thing: Beauty. Let the liars lie; we stand surely and quietly for Truth. Let the haters fill their guts with anger and spite; we have a duty, a sacred commitment to Goodness.<br /><br />I have a thought on dealing with those among our friends who have embraced the hideously toxic "woke" ideology. We can no more convert them than we could drag them to a tent revival to get Saved. It just doesn't work like that. But perhaps we can divert them. If we can exert a little influence to nudge them toward the Good, or the Beautiful, we've nudged them away from the Darkness, and toward the Truth. It is a small thing, but as I said earlier, "little" is a universe away from "none." We do what we can with what we have, and leave the results up to God.<br /><br /> I got some very good news today regarding the Lost Era movie. The file is available for download at Vox Day's "Unauthorized TV" subscription site. Love him or hate him Vox is a warrior for the cause. Arkhaven Comics, and his Unauthorized TV may be small in the great scheme of things, but small is what we have, and small can grow.<br /><br />Here on the homefront Pierre has finished remodeling our bathroom, and he has done a beautiful job. Pierre came up hard from the darkness, and his success is an inspiration. After weeks of sink baths, or standing out back with the garden hose it is a pure pleasure to take a real shower.<br /><br />With that- Thanks for stopping by. As my strength returns I'll be engaging in another stone project, in the near future. Next up is The Big One. I've been eyeballing this chunk of desert for over a year, now. Next step is the angle grinder. </span></div>JWMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05564732483476859555noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5415946761607993140.post-74972127810783504022023-08-22T08:56:00.000-07:002023-08-22T08:56:04.749-07:00<h1 style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Garamond;"> Mending</span></h1><div><br /></div><div><span style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: x-large;">It seems like I am through the worst of this awful bug. Despite a round of weird and creepy nightmares I got a decent night's sleep, and this morning I'm ready to maybe get back to work on the stone. I need to get caught up on the Arkhaven posting as well. I had several week's worth of posting ahead in the cue, but I've used up almost all of the slack I had given myself. The slideshow movie is sort of in limbo right now. There may be copyright issues with some of the Beethoven excerpts. There isn't much information available, but as I understand it the streaming platforms all have algorithms pre-set to nuke anything even in cases where the recordings are in public domain. It's a system where you are judged guilty without trial, and have little or no recourse to appeal the machine made censor. This won't prevent me from showing the film at the museum, or the art gallery, but it may preclude my ability to upload it to any streaming platform.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: x-large;"> I had Nick, the computer whiz, nuke my facebarf account permanently. I am glad to see it gone. The program is next to impossible to delete, and will reactivate with a click for a period of weeks after the command to delete has been executed.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: x-large;">I have come to believe that it is an evil thing, a tool of the darkness that descends on the nation and the world. Blogger is no less of a tool, just another lens in the all-seeing eye, but I am small enough, and inconsequential to the beast. At least for now.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: x-large;">I have found a very fine community at the <a href="https://howtomeowinyiddish.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">"How to Meow in Yiddish" </a>blog. P'Bird is a wise, and sagacious host, and I like the other commenters there tremendously. This is the internet at its best. One more of many things for which I am grateful. Hearing from Julie C has also been a blessing. It amazes me how long now, how far back some of these connections go. So that about sums up the morning. Later I'll get a new SD card, and get a copy of the movie off to Richard Hampton, and like I said, maybe even get a little work done on the stone.</span></div>JWMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05564732483476859555noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5415946761607993140.post-40360619052000840942023-08-20T16:06:00.001-07:002023-08-20T16:07:48.496-07:00Lost<div style="text-align: left;"> <span style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: x-large;">I have been horribly ill with the covid. I was exposed to it on the fifth, and two days later came down ill. I'm not dealing with fever or cough, just horrible weakness, fatigue, lassitude. Ivermectin has prevented the worst of it. The doctors forbid ivermectin. The doctors prescribed paxlovid which very nearly killed me. I've posted about it over on P'Bird's site, and don't much feel like repeating what I've already written. But it keeps grinding on. Last night I hit a bout of delirium wherein I felt that Mary had abandoned me, that I was used up, worthless to her. I have never in my life felt anything like that level of utter despair. My fear is for Mary. She hasn't come down with any symptoms, thank God. I'm praying for her with all I've got.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: x-large;">Bill, the guy I got it from, has been worse, and his wife is down with it also. They aren't taking IVM. They picked the bug up on a flight from Europe. According to Bill, this is some new strain. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: x-large;">Of course. The virus was deliberately created to do what it is doing: kill as many useless humans as possible. I do not doubt this is the end game of the so-called "environmentalists." They are a death cult, and the goal is to un-make civilization as we know it. They flood Europe with Africans. They stoke race hatred among the feral savages who have ruined our cities. The weapons are </span><span style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: x-large;">epistemological, couching the politics of greed and envy in weaseling nonsense words like "social justice", and "Equity". The weapons are ontological, inventing scourges like racism, and phobias as though they were anything but what they are: hatred and envy by those who create nothing for those who create the good the true and the beautiful. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: x-large;">This is Satanic at its very core.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: x-large;">I fear greatly for our nation. I'm afraid that we are coming undone. Perhaps this is the beginning of the end of the world we have known. Washington DC is a criminal cabal, and as utterly corrupt as it is inept. They are martyring Trump with a death of a thousand cuts. I do not see how he can escape it. All that is left, now is prayer. Civilizations have fallen before, and only the remnant survive. I am an old man. I will not live to see the end of this. Despair is a sin, I know. But I do not see much hope for our future.</span></div>JWMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05564732483476859555noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5415946761607993140.post-59944445685127804002023-08-07T08:06:00.000-07:002023-08-07T08:06:03.952-07:00Startin' in on some new stuff.<h1 style="text-align: center;"> <span style="font-family: Garamond;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">Startin' in on some new stuff.</span></span></h1><h1 style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Garamond;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtQ6ZnnYsLcnwGNDBVelTUbPuWIH6gmxhMks388Nv7mWjcLrZpAO7YiUfQMT_PEqV0AP760HxMEnbdZhcb4llnlfbHiVao6gUZ5xlWcthHLE5HwEuB9g7jtuVX2pIwSrPWLw4Hsz2xFvXAzwzcwI2LM0r-oXoXvu9ky_fIzSgg-Q15er-tZw3-o3h05gU/s5184/IMG_7594.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="5184" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtQ6ZnnYsLcnwGNDBVelTUbPuWIH6gmxhMks388Nv7mWjcLrZpAO7YiUfQMT_PEqV0AP760HxMEnbdZhcb4llnlfbHiVao6gUZ5xlWcthHLE5HwEuB9g7jtuVX2pIwSrPWLw4Hsz2xFvXAzwzcwI2LM0r-oXoXvu9ky_fIzSgg-Q15er-tZw3-o3h05gU/s320/IMG_7594.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /></span></span></h1><h1 style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Garamond;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKtN7F8OtczfqGUTz6I6ct1F-17BqQs_fIbDOGh36srIwtfDuZGGCylM0CoTmSX5FqiEqrY_6awYlEGxH1gXipADtAZTGQCzUUybc2iollbFCdcD_Yn1AdVLO9l5y1y-BPhs4v-GlulfktvB57rCL7Usis4kOC9jx8IajTF05DA8i-cg6BhLXlMiDV_wA/s5184/IMG_7577.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="5184" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKtN7F8OtczfqGUTz6I6ct1F-17BqQs_fIbDOGh36srIwtfDuZGGCylM0CoTmSX5FqiEqrY_6awYlEGxH1gXipADtAZTGQCzUUybc2iollbFCdcD_Yn1AdVLO9l5y1y-BPhs4v-GlulfktvB57rCL7Usis4kOC9jx8IajTF05DA8i-cg6BhLXlMiDV_wA/w400-h266/IMG_7577.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDAWWfRRsyfBVACggtUx6mXqDZdAkvKbblS1m3Fm0Hl-WGBl-szNETl5rU1_udeI8X27W95ELXY25f_YNPajA73uYrFscQSdsT7NGSx8X2a43-E8wezhm0i25_Y-a_KHXc2DgrCm9jinIfuu_psAZ3inaANbF8bc6JStwWQhsBJDiRV1mJGG2DPxWs7So/s5184/IMG_7590.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="5184" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDAWWfRRsyfBVACggtUx6mXqDZdAkvKbblS1m3Fm0Hl-WGBl-szNETl5rU1_udeI8X27W95ELXY25f_YNPajA73uYrFscQSdsT7NGSx8X2a43-E8wezhm0i25_Y-a_KHXc2DgrCm9jinIfuu_psAZ3inaANbF8bc6JStwWQhsBJDiRV1mJGG2DPxWs7So/w400-h266/IMG_7590.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>Trichocereus Bridgesii in bloom <br /></span></span></h1><h1 style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Garamond;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span></span></h1><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Garamond;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">So, it's Monday morning, gray and cool here in So Cal. Mary is on a short vacation in Palm Desert, and I have the place to myself for the week.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Garamond;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">Sort of. </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Garamond;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">Pierre will be here pretty soon to resume work on the bathroom overhaul. We've been without a shower or bath for the last three weeks or so. The house is a mess. No point in trying to clean things up in the middle of construction. </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Garamond;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"> My brother recommended Pierre for the job, and I'm glad we hired him to do it. The last two rebuilds were done half-assed. There was a lot of repair needed on the sub flooring, and the construction had been done all mickey moused. Pierre is a craftsman; he does quality work. </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Garamond;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">Even so, I'll be glad to see an end to it. I've been showering with the garden hose in the back yard. It kind of works. Leave the hose out in the sun all afternoon, and I get just enough hot water to clean up. Too, I've been feeling like crap ever since the middle of June. Had some some respiratory congestion. Doc gave me cortisone and an inhaler. It was impetus to finally hang up my guns on smoking weed. Just as well. The bud has been an ally for a very long time, but it was wearing out its welcome. Used to be a tweet in the morning lit up my creative energies, and kept me focused on task. But it was losing the magic, and by mid afternoon I was just feeling stoned out. I found myself saying, "I'm just sick of this shit." </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Garamond;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">But over a month has passed, and my energy and stamina are still way too low. Kaiser isn't much help. I can chalk some of it up to just being seventy, but only some of it.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Garamond;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCKpacWcTkVMsCs9aYR9ZxegI6EiEz-aNb-umtMqF-vwj0Wl4qd1eUbNVSwPBLYBxD6P7tutVYREiGJ-xM64vzoLap0__MKgMjhdVq6qDlGeVlAUkmBSQjrDkk8XeHnArgxuCnmqwKCjVbidkOHmp9Azg_w7rB_XP48aPuW3LSO2O3eZCk6T6f8DrNMJ0/s1224/ark%20cover.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1000" data-original-width="1224" height="261" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCKpacWcTkVMsCs9aYR9ZxegI6EiEz-aNb-umtMqF-vwj0Wl4qd1eUbNVSwPBLYBxD6P7tutVYREiGJ-xM64vzoLap0__MKgMjhdVq6qDlGeVlAUkmBSQjrDkk8XeHnArgxuCnmqwKCjVbidkOHmp9Azg_w7rB_XP48aPuW3LSO2O3eZCk6T6f8DrNMJ0/s320/ark%20cover.png" width="320" /></a></div> </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Garamond;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">I've been working hard on the Lost Canyon stuff again. I finished the Lost Era slideshow movie using the Movavi program. Last Saturday, I premiered the film at the Whittier Museum during the closing reception for The Hills Are Alive art show. It went over very well. More on this in a subsequent post.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Garamond;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Garamond;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">I'll wind up with a few pictures of the Smallstone Project.</span></span><span style="font-family: Garamond;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"> <br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Garamond;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnr2QKiekEO2VedK23klVFzYGfmIhbFF8iC9ijqQ-8OxafKx-kYu1tLiaJiKU1B6iGiixrWB-ncWpEm5LwgwseiXrxBgk7p6jqUfHXOCefdtzkoASVAQGbGstCzgPdQ7CWx4A21iZrmIkX6Z-4IonI6DXwBYRSizS32pZyP7Utzt6fH_vQso9uGlqn75s/s5184/IMG_7598.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="5184" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnr2QKiekEO2VedK23klVFzYGfmIhbFF8iC9ijqQ-8OxafKx-kYu1tLiaJiKU1B6iGiixrWB-ncWpEm5LwgwseiXrxBgk7p6jqUfHXOCefdtzkoASVAQGbGstCzgPdQ7CWx4A21iZrmIkX6Z-4IonI6DXwBYRSizS32pZyP7Utzt6fH_vQso9uGlqn75s/w400-h266/IMG_7598.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHQaBeoZnMEN7Zbu3efqoWTVR6cBwv5yljMuHRQA7kL0Qxy_aBM1JR5vDbi8Q-3Jg6AXodWY7LRLW7Ka0F3l3C_NxLV8J4khg3Mga5UelGygDQEmMmfijnyu9rBwA_jP4YlZhmIyHOEtdohTzWwnTe0EqLfClo1Iydo-wnfKO337-5bML7Enc-TlIowPw/s5184/IMG_7597.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="5184" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHQaBeoZnMEN7Zbu3efqoWTVR6cBwv5yljMuHRQA7kL0Qxy_aBM1JR5vDbi8Q-3Jg6AXodWY7LRLW7Ka0F3l3C_NxLV8J4khg3Mga5UelGygDQEmMmfijnyu9rBwA_jP4YlZhmIyHOEtdohTzWwnTe0EqLfClo1Iydo-wnfKO337-5bML7Enc-TlIowPw/w400-h266/IMG_7597.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFphcfi60Bs435x-30FgjXHng4doIBbmj1McWLu7mKABnlvKN1cj9Hs0ndNapdGmjPAsUpSUcYqk4QaLvqeL6OmzV6z4cI2kEV96zkQNSS3FlH8ysEZyPt8msMYzlWx9HSOhHYEQWawjitYsi7B8AFMAbF3tuMJjnLdrVzcVXtS6J4HT_gpFgxw6ZcY70/s5184/IMG_7596.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="5184" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFphcfi60Bs435x-30FgjXHng4doIBbmj1McWLu7mKABnlvKN1cj9Hs0ndNapdGmjPAsUpSUcYqk4QaLvqeL6OmzV6z4cI2kEV96zkQNSS3FlH8ysEZyPt8msMYzlWx9HSOhHYEQWawjitYsi7B8AFMAbF3tuMJjnLdrVzcVXtS6J4HT_gpFgxw6ZcY70/w400-h266/IMG_7596.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIpWBfJSBkoanyFL8eh8IdKH5fV13IeDbh4pDRZAZZvJ1wwxAAcOWB3TklAaIy02gIfaWL65oTXb-Af8NWqAzCvYgmoRcKaMdyjyF68b5TcUjTP50uByB16oXqPhFJoRnR1YkP20lK1-rV2r1VEoUpPjjaj2a-NRV7cdStvWNFK7iZIbEm622aQvE3Kfw/s5184/IMG_7595.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="5184" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIpWBfJSBkoanyFL8eh8IdKH5fV13IeDbh4pDRZAZZvJ1wwxAAcOWB3TklAaIy02gIfaWL65oTXb-Af8NWqAzCvYgmoRcKaMdyjyF68b5TcUjTP50uByB16oXqPhFJoRnR1YkP20lK1-rV2r1VEoUpPjjaj2a-NRV7cdStvWNFK7iZIbEm622aQvE3Kfw/w400-h266/IMG_7595.JPG" width="400" /></a></div></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Garamond;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Garamond;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"> I started in on the finishing yesterday. All in all I'm very pleased with the work. What started out as a kind of goof-around improvisational effort has turned into one of my better pieces. Pierre likes it well enough that he's taking it home with him when it's done. My first really for real sale! Not bad at all.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Garamond;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">I'll wind up with this final note. I will resume regular posting here, and try to get some kind of baloney posted up at the very least once a week. I'm bailing out on the most detestable site on earth, Facebarf, and I want to be able to trade a few notes with my on-line friends without that human hemorrhoid Zuckerbarf's AI looking over my shoulder for wrongthink. </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Garamond;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">With that. Be well, and have a blessed day.<br /></span></span></div>JWMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05564732483476859555noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5415946761607993140.post-69257059055894282172023-07-17T07:23:00.003-07:002023-07-17T07:27:01.739-07:00The Grumbling of Mondays <h1 style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Garamond;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">The Grumbling of Mondays <br /></span></span></h1><p><span style="font-family: Garamond;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: Garamond;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">So, it's another Monday morning, 5:30 by the clock, but I've been up for a couple of hours. This seems to be the new sleep pattern: down around nine, up around three. Despite the warm nights, both cats have taken to sleeping on the bed, and I don't mind.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: Garamond;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Garamond;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0x77KSoKFK0MiiG9q7Qm2oq_IEb7Zi2uDhyiNInVYz60LXzE4p0WXCk0tT-5GHsh7l7ya-pr6lPof4sz-yE3COupUSzIErq9cAmVHySVROKLzZs8-oimzFVfyKWMp_4ED9lXXyCvNWddSlwPxDPQsMWLi1AYyh9-_uzjETTpnQ4bOmJSFH0LniYVxLHU/s5184/IMG_7554.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="5184" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0x77KSoKFK0MiiG9q7Qm2oq_IEb7Zi2uDhyiNInVYz60LXzE4p0WXCk0tT-5GHsh7l7ya-pr6lPof4sz-yE3COupUSzIErq9cAmVHySVROKLzZs8-oimzFVfyKWMp_4ED9lXXyCvNWddSlwPxDPQsMWLi1AYyh9-_uzjETTpnQ4bOmJSFH0LniYVxLHU/w400-h266/IMG_7554.JPG" width="400" /></a></span></span></div><p></p><p><span style="font-family: Garamond;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">It
has been a week of hard work on both the stone, and the Lost Canyon
project. I'll be doing a presentation/performance of the Lost Era
slideshow at the closing reception for The Hills Are Alive show at the
Whittier Museum on August 5th. I finished re-formatting all the pics for
the Arkhaven uploads. I'll be composing the text and image panels this
week. I hope to have it all in the cue in the next week or so.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: Garamond;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Garamond;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Garamond;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiK1nW19jZSZMtw2yGt0-yf-KWdU26Rb_5x1xMR3ulGylNDdObKc8GSEkUpjeU47NpBW62DloMzYpQ4gKXKZukJJ9WT5WcBNc5pcbXVVjXNWf8fFxXgE8qmpOp8uyXduJEWWYgdj21CKrtcV5lmsYH7pqECKxTh8HC51q8QrFPp6Bi5VK2OCNT7J6Sm0VA/s5184/IMG_7555.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="5184" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiK1nW19jZSZMtw2yGt0-yf-KWdU26Rb_5x1xMR3ulGylNDdObKc8GSEkUpjeU47NpBW62DloMzYpQ4gKXKZukJJ9WT5WcBNc5pcbXVVjXNWf8fFxXgE8qmpOp8uyXduJEWWYgdj21CKrtcV5lmsYH7pqECKxTh8HC51q8QrFPp6Bi5VK2OCNT7J6Sm0VA/w400-h266/IMG_7555.JPG" width="400" /></a></span></span></div><span style="font-family: Garamond;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">I
always manage to work myself into a tight cramped space in the stone
sculpture, some spot that needs to shaped just so, and almost nowhere to
fit the tool into that space to shape it.</span></span><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Garamond;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Garamond;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgin0tvYDgi7eun4tcJReDvbFlGcLwBxJlXu2Mk9GxOwJm2GfIhMHfqvtqkxc12uEwngHBpoMrMwgrmk4_NRAUPYStcIVbZMlOXTTp4a6KcnRYWPj5ogxFlbimekqO0QjKpulY4QMw-bo2da8f05qf6ASp57ArXt9JI-SxF64QkYl53n-u1mnLYX0hjKHM/s5184/IMG_7558.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="5184" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgin0tvYDgi7eun4tcJReDvbFlGcLwBxJlXu2Mk9GxOwJm2GfIhMHfqvtqkxc12uEwngHBpoMrMwgrmk4_NRAUPYStcIVbZMlOXTTp4a6KcnRYWPj5ogxFlbimekqO0QjKpulY4QMw-bo2da8f05qf6ASp57ArXt9JI-SxF64QkYl53n-u1mnLYX0hjKHM/w400-h266/IMG_7558.JPG" width="400" /></a></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: Garamond;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"> And I need to do something
more with the back face of this thing, and I still haven't figured out
quite what that something is. This is fun, right?</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: Garamond;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Garamond;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Garamond;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiX_bkYaZdvNg5ABmRFwBLhL8D4pznnIeHWDaPx9wYzk_P7UuCp-laOiD9ZnJFZOXGtGvJc5MHIMsAHu_magIohA2JadLUOrOsAId5NEv5gnmIbcf4gvUiCuNRzOliumWbA3M6ez-jOhWfIUqqD2aU5r-Ch6IP1LHCuM9IHakj4yUSCJdsfsaKO-fCdFAs/s5184/IMG_7556.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="5184" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiX_bkYaZdvNg5ABmRFwBLhL8D4pznnIeHWDaPx9wYzk_P7UuCp-laOiD9ZnJFZOXGtGvJc5MHIMsAHu_magIohA2JadLUOrOsAId5NEv5gnmIbcf4gvUiCuNRzOliumWbA3M6ez-jOhWfIUqqD2aU5r-Ch6IP1LHCuM9IHakj4yUSCJdsfsaKO-fCdFAs/w400-h266/IMG_7556.JPG" width="400" /></a></span></span></div><span style="font-family: Garamond;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEP3iSEaV2l_r9wQ17P_cYMwD5JUlKuFFx1Q5isY47twaecnLC7LUWa6jpLkwDuLGDsF-zpOckS22j-VJbL_D-8gRvfLkuuDyrnhtjw3NLJao9KyRWQHXkCr6oqZKm2WWFk8kNnYk9sQohNc4MOYzYTXXvlXkFYKcOIyvllGuz_4AZL7JiRrav8YoZsRs/s5184/IMG_7561.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="5184" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEP3iSEaV2l_r9wQ17P_cYMwD5JUlKuFFx1Q5isY47twaecnLC7LUWa6jpLkwDuLGDsF-zpOckS22j-VJbL_D-8gRvfLkuuDyrnhtjw3NLJao9KyRWQHXkCr6oqZKm2WWFk8kNnYk9sQohNc4MOYzYTXXvlXkFYKcOIyvllGuz_4AZL7JiRrav8YoZsRs/w400-h266/IMG_7561.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br /> The morning tour through the bookmarks is depressing as always. I won't even bother with news and current events. </span></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: Garamond;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">Thought Experiment:<br /></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: Garamond;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">Imagine a restaurant
serving computer generated 3D printed non-nutritional synthetic food simulations.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: Garamond;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"> <i>Just like real food only without calories or nutritional value!</i></span></span><i><span style="font-family: Garamond;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"> <br /></span></span></i></p><p><span style="font-family: Garamond;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"> People could eat there, have three meals a day, and stay full and satisfied while slowly starving to death. In this age, and time there would be suckers lined up around the block waiting to get in.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: Garamond;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">So it is with our newest techno-fetish, AI. </span></span><span style="font-family: Garamond;"></span></p><p><span style="font-family: Garamond;"></span><span style="font-family: Garamond;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">GAB is infested with
AI "art" these days. Every horny ass fanboy, and his uncle is
"composing" images of anime fetish girl pin-ups in sexy costumes. Fantasy scenes like the covers of cheesy sword and sorcery knock offs are popular as well. Other
are making digital abstracts. </span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: Garamond;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">Elsewhere, every wannabe writer is employing the chatbots to compose essays and articles. <br /></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: Garamond;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">It's all shit, and it's creepy as hell. Not one of these clowns could pick up a pencil and draw a cat, or write a paragraph.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: Garamond;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">Writing is hard work. Art takes a burdensome investment of effort. Both are fraught with failure, and frustration. Pardon the melodramatic metaphor here, but a writer, or an artist picks up a sword, and does battle in the war for Goodness Truth and Beauty. The real guys work very hard to produce food for the soul and spirit. AI clowns are wanabe cooks in the no-food restaurant. They're pretend warriors with imaginary swords.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: Garamond;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">So that's it for me being all creative, n' stuff. Breakfast is ready and I have things to do.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: Garamond;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">Thanks for stopping by.<br /></span></span></p>JWMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05564732483476859555noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5415946761607993140.post-31604742351184581312023-07-12T09:03:00.000-07:002023-07-12T09:03:49.725-07:00Progress and changes<p><span style="font-family: Garamond;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span></span></p><h1 style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Garamond;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">Progress and Changes <br /></span></span></h1><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Garamond;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">Here's where the smallstone project stands at the moment.</span></span><span style="font-family: Garamond;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"> <br /></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Garamond;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiF2tfNHtZIWPd9pBTWPiM7JUmagU7GP8M_PHCdMCWc-uavctEng6LG7OJ_CH77PAsMFtCNVTDOELDu8DXyPsPGJ7CABViuXQNpdh-leK_vZYjiPwtejo7iMOqwyUUheyeoezLF-LJmQQUqaRgQGt_7aXU1elfJzaTlqDLQYPHXwfJ9H_0NGNMfXEEMeM0/s5184/IMG_7549.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="5184" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiF2tfNHtZIWPd9pBTWPiM7JUmagU7GP8M_PHCdMCWc-uavctEng6LG7OJ_CH77PAsMFtCNVTDOELDu8DXyPsPGJ7CABViuXQNpdh-leK_vZYjiPwtejo7iMOqwyUUheyeoezLF-LJmQQUqaRgQGt_7aXU1elfJzaTlqDLQYPHXwfJ9H_0NGNMfXEEMeM0/w400-h266/IMG_7549.JPG" width="400" /></a></span></span></div><p></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Garamond;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">Later on this morning I'll get back to it. <br /></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Garamond;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3xgLDO9if9A_99H5C1wbY-7rBfLvESbtGoZMHvLm0_lHqKbb6gymJwCoEHCtZw918LKK5KqvGGUAGPQpLw1DXu8qP9AhytN402myJ2rECrgI8s86Q1txDI9jJYu-t9wJI91vo_Om6E1bFJbuGlO54mAeF9hsQob8c6rc1UDdcZdfPH9kE8NG3Dp4p4e4/s5184/IMG_7548.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="5184" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3xgLDO9if9A_99H5C1wbY-7rBfLvESbtGoZMHvLm0_lHqKbb6gymJwCoEHCtZw918LKK5KqvGGUAGPQpLw1DXu8qP9AhytN402myJ2rECrgI8s86Q1txDI9jJYu-t9wJI91vo_Om6E1bFJbuGlO54mAeF9hsQob8c6rc1UDdcZdfPH9kE8NG3Dp4p4e4/w400-h266/IMG_7548.JPG" width="400" /></a></span></span></div><span style="font-family: Garamond;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDFbiuAwHMd7_AcImTNRniiANuKj1GPfPw-uSD12d09B9ON8g4fwi1nW4R5VjW8pQbFjM78yPPyzBkfp3AtT1kmbYrLeN9KlXbP3fgXJFmV-r38iiHTxmRThXhH2klru7IiHIKMOPmpVZibkN1JQs4-3E5TRvLPGHSXoDvklgmoffFAOwFeLqBLAWNrAM/s5184/IMG_7547.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="5184" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDFbiuAwHMd7_AcImTNRniiANuKj1GPfPw-uSD12d09B9ON8g4fwi1nW4R5VjW8pQbFjM78yPPyzBkfp3AtT1kmbYrLeN9KlXbP3fgXJFmV-r38iiHTxmRThXhH2klru7IiHIKMOPmpVZibkN1JQs4-3E5TRvLPGHSXoDvklgmoffFAOwFeLqBLAWNrAM/w400-h266/IMG_7547.JPG" width="400" /></a></div></span></span><p></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Garamond;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">I'm
pleased with where it's going, but improvising doesn't mean working
with no plan. It means that the planning and carving play hopscotch.
Plan a little, carve a little, plan a little, carve a little . (Music
Man, anyone?)</span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Garamond;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Garamond;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIp1G9M393-7ibn5UOJdtQylcePPSfPOSpPOJx-l5QEHvCejfEomOo6iZ6A5MYZOqPuX6ZGAKtghbi4G508S41vV07um42lhz28cKLkste-46y0P1Aomu4MhaFRKd5NPQaDpfGBivwnzz7yDteigw-vaxQRi23dwm7sVBCbS-Ky2KYvIOzUANIrl6G_rs/s5184/IMG_7546.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="5184" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIp1G9M393-7ibn5UOJdtQylcePPSfPOSpPOJx-l5QEHvCejfEomOo6iZ6A5MYZOqPuX6ZGAKtghbi4G508S41vV07um42lhz28cKLkste-46y0P1Aomu4MhaFRKd5NPQaDpfGBivwnzz7yDteigw-vaxQRi23dwm7sVBCbS-Ky2KYvIOzUANIrl6G_rs/w400-h266/IMG_7546.JPG" width="400" /></a></span></span></div><span style="font-family: Garamond;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: Garamond;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"> <br /></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: Garamond;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">It has been a while. The last three weeks have been tough. Too, I've found myself posting notes on Pbird's blog, and over at Founding Questions, rather than writing stuff here on my own small platform. The reason for that is pretty simple: Both sites have </span></span><span style="font-family: Garamond;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">interesting </span></span><span style="font-family: Garamond;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">content and an active, </span></span><span style="font-family: Garamond;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">thoughtful, and intelligent </span></span><span style="font-family: Garamond;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">group of participants. I don't have either.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: Garamond;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">I'm not doing an 'oh poor me' here, and I don't mean that as a dig on the few folks who stop by.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: Garamond;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">I have no desire to run a hundred comments a day blog. There is a shit ton of great sites out there for discussion of items of interest, news, and current events. All I want to do here is chronicle my progress on the stone carving projects, and right now there hasn't been much progress on the stone work. What little energy I have is being taken up with The Lost Canyon stuff.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: Garamond;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: Garamond;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">And I have felt like total shit for the last three weeks.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: Garamond;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">This is entirely my own fault. Three years ago it was time for me to take a break from smokin' dope. I love my weed, and it has been a sort of ally for me in a lot of ways. All my artwork , and I mean ALL of it was done with a buzz. Even so, I would periodically take a long break from smoking to clear out my head. I was way overdue for that break when our evil overlords, and their rotten Chinese cohorts dropped the covid bomb on us. </span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: Garamond;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">I had worked myself into exhaustion on the Lost Era Transcripts. I had begun a break in the weed routine, which set me up for a long brutal bout of insomnia. A disastrous encounter with ambien threw me into a terrifying psychotic break, and I behaved in a way that shames me to this day.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: Garamond;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: Garamond;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">I had to say, "Fuck this, I'm getting my ass good and stoned, or I'll go off the deep end for reals." And, indeed, the bud kept me from going off the deep end. The psychic overload got so heavy that it re-awakened the artistic fire in me, and I put steel to stone for the first time in nearly twenty years. And I made some damn cool shit, too. </span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: Garamond;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: Garamond;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">But I've been three years overdue for that break from smoking, and I've been hittin' it hard. Three weeks ago I had some scary breathing issues. There was no debate or equivocation about whether it was time to stop or not. Cannabis leaches out of the system slowly. The good side to that, is that there are no withdrawal symptoms, or craving like with nicotine, alcohol, opiates, or pharmaceuticals. But you get used to falling asleep with a buzz, and you don't dream when you do. The insomnia sets in after about the third or fourth night, and it takes a while to reset the sleeping pattern. </span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: Garamond;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">I'm sleeping again, the head is clearing out, and the breathing problems have mostly disappeared. But the time for taking breaks is over. I'm seventy goddamn years old, and I'm feeling every one of those seventy years. Time let it go for good. Mostly I don't do what I call, "finger-in-the-air" declarations. They're almost always a source of embarrassment when you don't live up to them. But I gotta' make one now, and stick to it. So it goes. </span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: Garamond;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">My good friend Penny came by yesterday, and picked up the three plants I was growing. I gave her all my old-school pipe fittings, and a billet aluminum grinder. Some time in the future I may nibble a shroom here or there, but for now it's coffee in the morning, and that's about it. Maybe next post I'll have some stuff about the art show, and progress on the whole Lost Canyon effort. There is good stuff in the wind, and a new act waiting in the wings. Thanks for stopping by.</span></span><br /></p>JWMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05564732483476859555noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5415946761607993140.post-4461878229365534382023-06-28T18:41:00.001-07:002023-06-28T18:41:59.355-07:00Stuff Going On<h1 style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Garamond;"> Stuff Going On</span></h1><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: x-large;">Hey, how's that for a gripping title? Really makes you want to read what's, well... going on, huh? No?</span></div><h1 style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIDbxQ4aW9ZABihOfoerjCcNE0_ofBtdnCtsK-t0S-wcIEjQWfPA8CBo2g_dOfQwvkm4V2Up8iZmoNJsEOpAKKSUnll_mEzxXEgiHR3H8WYmo5M0T0hLY7ZVld5lSGB4SDFljMP7j8lNGzPx2XbBy4_9AMM4JNpgZhoyezC3D_WlzY2hx9_RpbbhMiuvY/s1324/1FS11arc2P057.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="font-family: Garamond; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1324" data-original-width="1054" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIDbxQ4aW9ZABihOfoerjCcNE0_ofBtdnCtsK-t0S-wcIEjQWfPA8CBo2g_dOfQwvkm4V2Up8iZmoNJsEOpAKKSUnll_mEzxXEgiHR3H8WYmo5M0T0hLY7ZVld5lSGB4SDFljMP7j8lNGzPx2XbBy4_9AMM4JNpgZhoyezC3D_WlzY2hx9_RpbbhMiuvY/w319-h400/1FS11arc2P057.jpg" width="319" /></a></div><span style="font-family: Garamond;"><br /> </span></h1><h1 style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXlzLgwe0YbV3nAq7B77WmCmqNeud-PjyFGpelw4dM3Q0-u3Tmvkbq6VErplJxU2Zdq5ZT9cD4xQU-Hw5mBomWf-N59MatH2NPUzUQbpN8hvZnWI-wNQ0-EA8BnOnx1ixK7J4956Cz-QNRv1hkuitQ3uoj9rVmWl4DRMVITaLqehBvAEraSYWyslPT7uM/s5184/IMG_7542.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="font-family: Garamond; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="5184" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXlzLgwe0YbV3nAq7B77WmCmqNeud-PjyFGpelw4dM3Q0-u3Tmvkbq6VErplJxU2Zdq5ZT9cD4xQU-Hw5mBomWf-N59MatH2NPUzUQbpN8hvZnWI-wNQ0-EA8BnOnx1ixK7J4956Cz-QNRv1hkuitQ3uoj9rVmWl4DRMVITaLqehBvAEraSYWyslPT7uM/w400-h266/IMG_7542.JPG" width="400" /></a></div></h1><span style="font-family: Garamond;"><br /></span><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: x-large;">I'll have some stone pictures up in a minute. As soon as I get done writing and put the card from the camera into the computer, that is.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: x-large;">It looks like <a href="https://lostcanyonproject.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">The Lost Canyon Project </a>has once again taken center stage in the daily routine. I'm referring to "The Lost Canyon" as the over arching project, the goal of which is to see Pete Hampton's work take, what I and others believe, is a rightful place among America's great regional artists. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: x-large;"> </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: x-large;">To that end I submitted <a href="https://www.thelosteratranscripts.com/" target="_blank">The Lost Era Transcripts </a> for consideration on <a href="https://www.arkhaven.com/" target="_blank">Vox Day's Arkhaven Comics. </a>The work was accepted. Now I have to re- format the entire project for upload to the Arkhaven site. Once more I have a ton of work on my plate.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: x-large;">But the first posting went on line last week, and has drawn almost four thousand views, and a whole bunch of 'likes' in six days. Consider that the blogspot site, despite my efforts to promote it, has drawn fewer than ten thousand views since it went on-line in 2020. Arkhaven is the first big break.<br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: x-large;">And Bill Ohanseian, creator of the Turnbul Canyon movie, is opening his <a href="https://www.facebook.com/events/248717194186891/?acontext=%7B%22event_action_history%22%3A[%7B%22extra_data%22%3A%22%22%2C%22mechanism%22%3A%22left_rail%22%2C%22surface%22%3A%22bookmark%22%7D%2C%7B%22extra_data%22%3A%22%22%2C%22mechanism%22%3A%22your_upcoming_events_unit%22%2C%22surface%22%3A%22bookmark%22%7D]%2C%22ref_notif_type%22%3Anull%7D" target="_blank">"The Hills Are Alive" art show at the Whittier Museum on July 8. </a>I'll be hanging the eight paintings that I own, and showing The Lost Era slideshow pics on a monitor for the opening.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: x-large;">All the Lost Era pics are loaded into the MOVAVI program, and I'm working with our good friend Holly Overin to create a soundtrack for the slideshow movie. We hope to have it ready for showing sometime in the near future. Lots of work ahead.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: x-large;"> </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: x-large;">So why am I doing this? What is it that has driven me to invest so much effort into this quixotic undertaking? Wish I had an answer. Somehow, I still cannot shake the feeling that I've been called to do this. Something greater than I know has placed this responsibility into my hands. My sense of conviction is as close to unshakeable as it could be.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: x-large;"> </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: x-large;">But
let's get back to the stone, OK? I didn't have a whole lot of hope for
this project. The material itself is beautiful, but this ragged splinter
of rock didn't seem to have much potential.</span><span style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: x-large;"> (Didn't I already say that?)<br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiI_qbk4zzjXEwA9-wu9lXxXsfIpVxst55nG_gy8W47PuglrlwTFfMt-50Bbua24sY970IMHiG8i-8jONfUqT65T5ylPWxQ8bmcBsVXMUe3-lt7AXObwDsYgc62-zLUoNt2GezqFQzS3ZD_PTLSn3qVSglmMG93Kuhe0D5c9wo1fcSSQzqOiZIHXy-l6vQ/s5184/IMG_7540.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="5184" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiI_qbk4zzjXEwA9-wu9lXxXsfIpVxst55nG_gy8W47PuglrlwTFfMt-50Bbua24sY970IMHiG8i-8jONfUqT65T5ylPWxQ8bmcBsVXMUe3-lt7AXObwDsYgc62-zLUoNt2GezqFQzS3ZD_PTLSn3qVSglmMG93Kuhe0D5c9wo1fcSSQzqOiZIHXy-l6vQ/s320/IMG_7540.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifdHpv1oCHrumOrXw9XFygyGCOrThatuIZO2xMSHyaiaEHrfXaXx-3T5eMkDW1MaPKepj5JyfuV3Rjp5F67YdfiVsb4ueP_LNInfGPGYhxKs9bQCDlpdyC-u0iMiWLKsDwmTcf2h5G5PNp-Lmjttb9h7HOFuZAmhRaC9nXUMQ-m6L4U9ez-k3tnMKlmqM/s5184/IMG_7541.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="5184" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifdHpv1oCHrumOrXw9XFygyGCOrThatuIZO2xMSHyaiaEHrfXaXx-3T5eMkDW1MaPKepj5JyfuV3Rjp5F67YdfiVsb4ueP_LNInfGPGYhxKs9bQCDlpdyC-u0iMiWLKsDwmTcf2h5G5PNp-Lmjttb9h7HOFuZAmhRaC9nXUMQ-m6L4U9ez-k3tnMKlmqM/s320/IMG_7541.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3tsN3vrEWIcZmyl1h_ST6n68ENELclaSYxHqzBJS6mgPy26wGDckTmhz9VuNNS6Z1k1Ft6fU8Gcwc7sc_rNVLhu-U-sj8Z7WBbh5itd3dvhlB4l_skuVyICb82DB-7b04CN3JXhw0H9dY2TeHBm8AfkOIHOgk5ElXFQOEQj5OmSxFRgdVeHKweAycoMU/s5184/IMG_7542.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="5184" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3tsN3vrEWIcZmyl1h_ST6n68ENELclaSYxHqzBJS6mgPy26wGDckTmhz9VuNNS6Z1k1Ft6fU8Gcwc7sc_rNVLhu-U-sj8Z7WBbh5itd3dvhlB4l_skuVyICb82DB-7b04CN3JXhw0H9dY2TeHBm8AfkOIHOgk5ElXFQOEQj5OmSxFRgdVeHKweAycoMU/s320/IMG_7542.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMP6y2eHQFyBRZSEJyaWXK0v7BobTos8h2bhHR_awKuQIrN9JTYd6WOgm1fRxQgc7cGnJl3HJDR73d62mleCdyIif0nUlky35-2TRDWxZfSPt5SYJ3zSogAPC5iq9iADXrucuqsxGsoSYc30x1YBPbSwrXobWdeD9UHWKB7FftwjDKeaPnSMRxC8ONMNI/s5184/IMG_7543.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="5184" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMP6y2eHQFyBRZSEJyaWXK0v7BobTos8h2bhHR_awKuQIrN9JTYd6WOgm1fRxQgc7cGnJl3HJDR73d62mleCdyIif0nUlky35-2TRDWxZfSPt5SYJ3zSogAPC5iq9iADXrucuqsxGsoSYc30x1YBPbSwrXobWdeD9UHWKB7FftwjDKeaPnSMRxC8ONMNI/s320/IMG_7543.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHO-P67zY9rx7nsmFB0_ObaAKw-63Nnlx6D-y1jax3FWKFYcsOzaSt_DIQ_LL7qRCalot19TqCCgEWwXTabbDC8KusECrp2BMMRECyaY9NqJI7kicqQnTrwI4UrcsJL2Kdh70BaKbGuIpGqwefp0qMgBzFjp7NOy1qKGcGcc4sm1Q2VhQ-i3TQ4HtyTVA/s5184/IMG_7544.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="5184" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHO-P67zY9rx7nsmFB0_ObaAKw-63Nnlx6D-y1jax3FWKFYcsOzaSt_DIQ_LL7qRCalot19TqCCgEWwXTabbDC8KusECrp2BMMRECyaY9NqJI7kicqQnTrwI4UrcsJL2Kdh70BaKbGuIpGqwefp0qMgBzFjp7NOy1qKGcGcc4sm1Q2VhQ-i3TQ4HtyTVA/s320/IMG_7544.JPG" width="320" /></a></div></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: x-large;"> So it was going to be an improvisational piece. Just start chiseling, and see where it goes. I started out wanting to keep it simple and easy, but a</span><span style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: x-large;">s per always I've created a sticky and cramped inside space to work with, and I'm looking at excavating a lot of material where it's difficult to get a tool on the stone. Too, I want to keep the natural irregularities in the faces to give the thing an organic, 'carved by wind and water' look. But progress has been slow. I'm dealing with very low energy these last several days, and I have not had the juice to get on a work binge. Even so, puttering away on this is a good balance to the computer work which, as I've noted, is mostly robotic and dull. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: x-large;">So, that winds it up for now. New blog posts are likely to be sketchy for a while, now that I'm on project again. But there has been progress, and there is hope for good things to come. Thank you for stopping by.<br /></span></div>JWMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05564732483476859555noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5415946761607993140.post-48524181286848619342023-06-21T06:52:00.000-07:002023-06-21T06:52:04.928-07:00A Blast From the (Recent) Past<p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><i>6/21/23 Five years ago, today, I had just a little more fun than I planned... </i></span><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Garamond;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZqGTsfzy-u03zZEYBvs5dUIZ6drIUt9B3Jb0DhOgHODWTh7tgYziOdarDYUQguOcsFtHUDAJc1jYdYdqP4L9B6xBLPOE9obeg11P8_IHM3fFoNpsnQ9y6SqPGisWll6cQlPTV50rWcMk/s1600/img005dst+copy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="776" data-original-width="966" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZqGTsfzy-u03zZEYBvs5dUIZ6drIUt9B3Jb0DhOgHODWTh7tgYziOdarDYUQguOcsFtHUDAJc1jYdYdqP4L9B6xBLPOE9obeg11P8_IHM3fFoNpsnQ9y6SqPGisWll6cQlPTV50rWcMk/s400/img005dst+copy.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></span></div><span style="font-family: Garamond;">
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<span style="font-family: Garamond;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">A Vein of Fire</span></span></h2><span style="font-family: Garamond;">
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"> </span></span></span></h2><span style="font-family: Garamond;">
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<![endif]--><span style="font-size: x-large;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: x-large; line-height: 115%;">Preparing
the brew took several days’ work. The brew is just over two pounds
of peeled cactus flesh and half a lemon reduced to 16 ounces of opaque green
liquid.</span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: x-large; line-height: 115%;"> It looks like a jar of olive drab paint, and it’s just about as appetizing.
</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhj7FRa2r0plk10DAalp8uFDc0SzETgfQBY2HmPeJ4S5VzyVVXCj7f7LifCXKj7IfDSnfu-szQUW223FRFy04cdxcdoWiFzFqoFuTqlXzdJSZ0_R3yhH9TRTUlOo-CYKk42b96Jr8QeNeE/s1600/P1030548.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhj7FRa2r0plk10DAalp8uFDc0SzETgfQBY2HmPeJ4S5VzyVVXCj7f7LifCXKj7IfDSnfu-szQUW223FRFy04cdxcdoWiFzFqoFuTqlXzdJSZ0_R3yhH9TRTUlOo-CYKk42b96Jr8QeNeE/s320/P1030548.JPG" width="320" /></a></span></div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: x-large; line-height: 115%;">Most
plant
medicine tastes awful. In this case, awful would be a vast improvement.
The juice is slightly salty, and so intensely bitter that it causes your
tongue
to recoil. Only the acid bite of the lemon allows it to get past the gag
reflex.
It is nasty stuff. </span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitHzCBv57TT8GICMBFDbxMefQ0gnVK7cpEVXkugboR__3NSoMua0aBLTIUF6RLpt47cSx078X3iirRNgID3bacJc46Mm_hQWGrTaAJHjQzv4tEm3SDtP_sFq1OIsTAYrgbQdXEM529CBs/s1600/P1030553.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitHzCBv57TT8GICMBFDbxMefQ0gnVK7cpEVXkugboR__3NSoMua0aBLTIUF6RLpt47cSx078X3iirRNgID3bacJc46Mm_hQWGrTaAJHjQzv4tEm3SDtP_sFq1OIsTAYrgbQdXEM529CBs/s320/P1030553.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhITHy9ffXyEK-iAd84mXoNmCKwQiNIK8NKoydiqRgxEjwuvl2cDJ6gixVDhyOsZy3SzW7w59w0xuy4X5tYQKsjfcW3OgKGJt1LeZxxbQQAow7Egnjp8odeGwUl8I36nxiI_Jjt7Q_dkIw/s1600/P1030556.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhITHy9ffXyEK-iAd84mXoNmCKwQiNIK8NKoydiqRgxEjwuvl2cDJ6gixVDhyOsZy3SzW7w59w0xuy4X5tYQKsjfcW3OgKGJt1LeZxxbQQAow7Egnjp8odeGwUl8I36nxiI_Jjt7Q_dkIw/s320/P1030556.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwQ8DasloWxHRyHBV27hbzkv__Tg8hGwJifNEkqKOKDGTf_dgZRVXmVxYVN6K7sB_Rs4r0kHbTHsn5gsvLwi35R55Y58EfOMojPCm2crURJ7u2jAfhiGWlstPChBOEiqAfdGbY_9kCR6Q/s1600/P1030557.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwQ8DasloWxHRyHBV27hbzkv__Tg8hGwJifNEkqKOKDGTf_dgZRVXmVxYVN6K7sB_Rs4r0kHbTHsn5gsvLwi35R55Y58EfOMojPCm2crURJ7u2jAfhiGWlstPChBOEiqAfdGbY_9kCR6Q/s320/P1030557.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<span style="line-height: 115%;"> <span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span></span><span style="font-size: x-large;">
I was going to brew all three 9" sections, but at the last minute my
guardian angel said, "Two. No more. No less." Wise choice. It was 3:00
when I took the mason jar out of the refrigerator, and set it on the
kitchen table with a bottle of Italian mineral water, a fresh baguette,
and a big container of sliced mango. The quart jar was half full, and I
had to shake it a little to stir the sediment. I poured four ounces of
the bitter green liquid into a measuring cup and took it down in two
gulps.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div>
<span style="font-size: x-large;">
<span style="font-size: medium;">
</span></span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div>
<span style="font-size: x-large;">
<span style="font-size: medium;">
</span></span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: x-large; line-height: 115%;">Mary walked
into the kitchen. She was on her way out
to spend some time with her brother’s family. “Well”, she asked, “How was
it?” </span></div>
<span style="font-size: x-large;">
<span style="font-size: medium;">
</span></span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: x-large; line-height: 115%;"> I shudder a
little, “It was awful. Not that bad, really. I’ll be able to do this.”</span></div>
<span style="font-size: x-large;">
<span style="font-size: medium;">
</span></span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div>
<span style="font-size: x-large;">
<span style="font-size: medium;">
</span></span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: x-large; line-height: 115%;">Mary gave me
a kiss. “You have fun.”</span></div>
<span style="font-size: x-large;">
<span style="font-size: medium;">
</span></span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: x-large; line-height: 115%;">Not many 65
year old guys are into this kind of thing, and fewer have wives who tell them
to “have fun” on their trips. I am richly blessed.</span></div>
<span style="font-size: x-large;">
<span style="font-size: medium;">
</span></span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: x-large; line-height: 115%;"> I ate a small slice of mango, and a little
bread. Ten minutes later I swallowed the next four ounces. I chased each gulp
with a swallow of mineral water, a mouthful of bread, and some mango. I knew
I’d purge, and I wanted something for the belly to expel, so I wouldn’t dry
heave. The jar was empty at twenty to four. </span></div>
<span style="font-size: x-large;">
<span style="font-size: medium;">
</span></span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div>
<span style="font-size: x-large;">
<span style="font-size: medium;">
</span></span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: x-large; line-height: 115%;"> Nothing to do now, but wait. Of course, I’m
nervous, full of anticipation, a little apprehensive. I walked around the
house, checked the computer, went out front, watered the yard a little. I was planning to just enjoy the afternoon at
home, in familiar surroundings. Maybe later on I’ll walk to the park for a
smoke, or take the bike for a ride.</span></div>
<span style="font-size: x-large;">
<span style="font-size: medium;">
</span></span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div>
<span style="font-size: x-large;">
<span style="font-size: medium;">
</span></span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: x-large; line-height: 115%;">The first
wave of nausea bubbled up around 4:00. I knew I had to keep the juice down for
about an hour, but I doubted if I was going to make it. By ten after four I was
heaving. I drank some mineral water to cleanse my mouth and ate a mango slice to
settle my stomach. I still felt a little sick. Soon I was pacing aimlessly
around the house- a good sign that things were under way. By 4:30 there was no
mistaking it... </span></div>
<span style="font-size: x-large;">
<span style="font-size: medium;">
</span></span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div>
<span style="font-size: x-large;">
<span style="font-size: medium;">
</span></span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: x-large; line-height: 115%;">I’m coming
on hard. Holy cow, this is going to be big!</span></div>
<span style="font-size: x-large;">
<span style="font-size: medium;">
</span></span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: x-large; line-height: 115%;"> A soft electricity is streaming
through my body, ringing in my ears like a sustained chord from some windstring
instrument. It is strangely pleasant, but mostly- just- strange. I’ve never
felt anything like it. And I know this
is just the beginning. The voltage on that soft electricity is creeping upward,
the chord growing ever louder, and more intense. How intense will this get?
Somehow I’m neither frightened, nor worried about it. This powerful body
humming feels good.</span></div>
<span style="font-size: x-large;">
<span style="font-size: medium;">
</span></span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div>
<span style="font-size: x-large;">
<span style="font-size: medium;">
</span></span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: x-large; line-height: 115%;"> But I gotta’ barf again. Again, a little
mango, a little mineral water. I’m sitting in the big green chair in the living
room, sliding into this hazy soft drowsiness. Things are becoming dreamlike. Strange
electric spasms charge up the back of my legs and into my groin. My pelvis
involuntarily thrusts forward. This power bursting through my loins! A sleepy,
soft dreaminess is slowly filling up my head. I fade into a slow trance, and
then pop awake, and start sinking again. Then I’m restless, up pacing the room
until the dream fades me out, and I return to the chair. </span></div>
<span style="font-size: x-large;">
<span style="font-size: medium;">
</span></span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div>
<span style="font-size: x-large;">
<span style="font-size: medium;">
</span></span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: x-large; line-height: 115%;">By 5:30 I’m full of restless
energy, and I decide to walk around the block. I barely make it to the curb
before I have to run back in the house and barf again. But mineral water and
mango, and I’m out the front door and I’m walking and it’s a relief to move,
but I want to get back home, and it’s a long block, but I make it back. And so
the cycle repeats. Sit, fade, dream, pace, sit, fade, dream, pace.</span></div>
<span style="font-size: x-large;">
<span style="font-size: medium;">
</span></span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div>
<span style="font-size: x-large;">
<span style="font-size: medium;">
</span></span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: x-large; line-height: 115%;"> 6:00, and the dream trance is growing more and
more hallucinatory. Things are suffused with the light of their own perfect
essence. Wood grains are flowing; patterns and images drifting through the
stucco ceiling. Deep golden sunshine pouring down in the yard. My artwork coming to life on the breathing
walls. But I gotta’ puke again. I realize and accept that this is just going to
be part of the experience. After this one I feel OK. </span></div>
<span style="font-size: x-large;">
<span style="font-size: medium;">
</span></span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div>
<span style="font-size: x-large;">
<span style="font-size: medium;">
</span></span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: x-large; line-height: 115%;">Huge
waves of euphoria wash over me. I am bathed in pure sensation. Energy
fuses with lethargy in the strangest blend of opposing forces. By
now I’m dreaming all this. But I’m
restless again, and I need to walk. I’m in this sort of looping pattern
where I
sit in the chair, feeling like I’m falling asleep, but I don’t fall
asleep. I
fall adream, and begin sinking down into a trance… and the electric
muscles
pull me up on my feet. I stand up, pace
the floor, maybe barf. Sit down, and begin to fall adream… And the
buzzing in
my ears is getting louder. The soft electricity charging through my
body, the
dream trance embracing my consciousness grows thicker, and deeper, the
hallucinations more pronounced. This is another world, a floating world,
and it
is wonderful, wonderful.</span></div>
<span style="font-size: x-large;">
<span style="font-size: medium;">
</span></span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div>
<span style="font-size: x-large;">
<span style="font-size: medium;">
</span></span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: x-large; line-height: 115%;">I need to
walk. So I close up the house, and go out front. Once more, I barely make it to
the curb before I have to barf again. So we go through the loop: barf, mineral
water, mango, pace, sit. But now I’m OK. At least now…</span></div>
<span style="font-size: x-large;">
<span style="font-size: medium;">
</span></span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div>
<span style="font-size: x-large;">
<span style="font-size: medium;">
</span></span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: x-large; line-height: 115%;"> I’m OK! Holy cow, am I OK! Euphoria surges into
the dream. The electricity powers me forward. I step into the glowing solstice afternoon, and I am
weightless. My body moves without effort; the neighborhood is washed in sunshine
mellow gold, and energy flows through every living thing, and they all
celebrate the pure and perfect essence of their being- the tree-ness of trees,
the flower-ness of the flowers is all aglow in the dreamlight.</span></div>
<span style="font-size: x-large;">
<span style="font-size: medium;">
</span></span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div>
<span style="font-size: x-large;">
<span style="font-size: medium;">
</span></span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: x-large; line-height: 115%;">But my sense
of pattern recognition is gone. I glide down my street, but the neighborhood is
not familiar; it’s all new, somehow. I reach the end of the block, and wait. I know where to go, but I don’t feel it. It is
unfamiliar. I’m worried about getting lost out here. </span></div>
<span style="font-size: x-large;">
<span style="font-size: medium;">
</span></span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: x-large; line-height: 115%;">In the midst
of all this I realize that I did one thing right- I didn’t have anything else
going today. I’m almost totally incapacitated. Getting up. Sitting down.
Walking around. These are all great and difficult undertakings. There is no way
I could socialize, or do anything else but be stoned. Take the bike out? No
way. Walk to the park? Too dreamtired sleepy, I’d get lost. </span></div>
<span style="font-size: x-large;">
<span style="font-size: medium;">
</span></span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div>
<span style="font-size: x-large;">
<span style="font-size: medium;">
</span></span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: x-large; line-height: 115%;">And I am
very. Very. Just. Plain. Stoned. I am as stoned as ever I have been, and that’s
saying a lot. The full-body humbuzzing, this glowing haze in my brain is as
powerful as anything I’ve ever felt. It is not drunkenness, but I would be less
intoxicated if that jar had held 16 ounces of moonshine.</span></div>
<span style="font-size: x-large;">
<span style="font-size: medium;">
</span></span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div>
<span style="font-size: x-large;">
<span style="font-size: medium;">
</span></span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: x-large; line-height: 115%;"> I‘m flying at full capacity. My thought stream
is murky, the inner dialogue reduced to
vague murmurings, moodclouds, and shapeless feelings rather that articulated
thought. I had been angry over some unpleasant business from this morning. As I
round the block the discontent flows into the stream. It takes a thick, slow
effort to steer my path away. I am not
safe from anger here in the dream. The ugly thoughts are quicksand traps. I can
feel the danger of wading into one.</span></div>
<span style="font-size: x-large;">
<span style="font-size: medium;">
</span></span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div>
<span style="font-size: x-large;">
<span style="font-size: medium;">
</span></span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: x-large; line-height: 115%;">It’s cooling
down quickly; I feel the wind pass through my T-shirt. The breeze swirls around
my skin, and it feels like a full body tickle. Only cold. I’m skinny, and I
chill easily. Round the corner and head back toward the house; it’s getting
chilly and..</span></div>
<span style="font-size: x-large;">
<span style="font-size: medium;">
</span></span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div>
<span style="font-size: x-large;">
<span style="font-size: medium;">
</span></span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: x-large; line-height: 115%;">Get there
just in time to be sick again. Now I feel it. There’s a devil in my stomach, a
black nasty squirming thing, and he needs to be expelled. I make it to the bathroom. Heave and heave
again. I pitch out a lump, and the devil is gone. I’m on my knees at the bowl. Thank
God for Mr. Mango. He’s been such a friend through all this. </span></div>
<span style="font-size: x-large;">
<span style="font-size: medium;">
</span></span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div>
<span style="font-size: x-large;">
<span style="font-size: medium;">
</span></span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: x-large; line-height: 115%;">I need
water. I need warm. Warm water comes from the bathroom. Takes too long in the
kitchen. But there’s no cup in the bathroom. The cup is in the kitchen. So that
means I have to go to the kitchen and get the cup, then take the cup into the
bathroom. I can do this. I get the cup. I take it back. I fill the cup, but I
have to take it back to the kitchen to drink. Warm water on my stomach. Oh, my
God. Nothing in the entire experience of the whole human race feels as good as warm water. Surely God loves us, if
He created warm water. I am so very grateful for this gift.</span></div>
<span style="font-size: x-large;">
<span style="font-size: medium;">
</span></span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div>
<span style="font-size: x-large;">
<span style="font-size: medium;">
</span></span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: x-large; line-height: 115%;">Back in the
living room I’m sweating, feeling washed out and a little weak. Sitting in the
green chair, the electricity charging up the back of my legs and out the groin.
The living room floating in the haze. Am I falling asleep or just awakening?
Always falling into the dreamawake. Again and again the pelvic thrust, and I
see my legs looking so, so thin in my loose jeans. A surge in the voltage
brings me to my feet.</span></div>
<span style="font-size: x-large;">
<span style="font-size: medium;">
</span></span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div>
<span style="font-size: x-large;">
<span style="font-size: medium;">
</span></span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: x-large; line-height: 115%;"> A moodcloud
flows into the stream, this amorphous yearning for God. <i>That God so loved the world</i>… I think of the Christ, and say the
Lord’s prayer aloud. The sound of my voice is startling. The Word rolls through me like thunder, and at
once I know in the depth of my bones that I am old. Old and thin. This body.
This thin frail body that I’ve ridden so hard for so long. I am desiccated, withered
as a mummy, a thin, dry chip of a man. I am a vein of fire at the center of a brittle
husk, and I know that soon this husk will
crumble and return to the earth. Only the fire will continue. Somewhere.
I know beyond all shadow that my time is mostly gone. I know that death is
immanent in all. This is not horrifying. This is not frightening. This is Truth and I
embrace it.</span></div>
<span style="font-size: x-large;">
<span style="font-size: medium;">
</span></span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div>
<span style="font-size: x-large;">
<span style="font-size: medium;">
</span></span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: x-large; line-height: 115%;">I stand at
the open door. The back yard</span><span style="font-family: Garamond;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: x-large; line-height: 115%;"> glows in the orange fire</span></span></span><span style="font-size: x-large; line-height: 115%;">
of a deep, late sun. The bottle brush tree is a torch of neon
green, and scarlet flame. It sings beauty for the sheer glory of life. I
am rapt in
an infant's joy, a memory from the time before speech, and the days
before words. I feel the grand maternal love radiating from the colors
of the foliage. I was called here to see this. I traveled all this way
to live this</span><span style="font-family: Garamond;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: x-large; line-height: 115%;"> moment</span></span></span><span style="font-size: x-large; line-height: 115%;">. This is what I came here for. <br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: x-large; line-height: 115%;"> The sickness doesn’t matter; it doesn’t matter at all. </span></div>
<span style="font-size: x-large;">
<span style="font-size: medium;">
</span></span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div>
<span style="font-size: x-large;">
<span style="font-size: medium;">
</span></span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div>
<span style="font-size: x-large;">
<span style="font-size: medium;">
</span></span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: x-large; line-height: 115%;">It occurs to
me, even in the depths of this dream trance, that it is the same sense of divine love that I
felt from the Salvia so many years ago.</span></div>
<span style="font-size: x-large;">
<span style="font-size: medium;">
</span></span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div>
<span style="font-size: x-large;">
<span style="font-size: medium;">
</span></span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: x-large; line-height: 115%;">10:30 at
night, and Mary is getting home. The peak has passed, and the visuals faded. I’m
glad she’s back. She asks me how the
trip has been, and I try to explain, but it’s too hard to form coherent
thoughts, and I drift out mid-sentence... But the mescaline! How very strange. </span></div>
<span style="font-size: x-large;">
<span style="font-size: medium;">
</span></span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div>
<span style="font-size: x-large;">
<span style="font-size: medium;">
</span></span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: x-large; line-height: 115%;">Mary fixed
me some broth and egg, and I sipped it spoon by spoon while she went to bed. </span></div>
<span style="font-size: x-large;">
<span style="font-size: medium;">
</span></span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: x-large; line-height: 115%;">Midnight.
Now there was just the humming in my
ears, the all over soft current still flowing in every cell, the drowsiness,
and the restlessness. Sleep seems so
near, but too much energy in the loins, and still slow dopey. This waking dream
so drowsy... </span></div>
<span style="font-size: x-large;">
<span style="font-size: medium;">
</span></span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div>
<span style="font-size: x-large;">
<span style="font-size: medium;">
</span></span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: x-large; line-height: 115%;">I so wanted to
sleep. But there would be no sleep that night, just a slow winding down of the
cycle. I didn’t want to spoil Mary’s night, so I stretched out on the couch, tried
to breathe deep, and relax. The body slowed, but my mind sank only 99% asleep,
and dangled above the darkness like Tantalus craving water.</span></div>
<span style="font-size: x-large;">
<span style="font-size: medium;">
</span></span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: x-large; line-height: 115%;"> So I’d get up, drink a little water, sit on
the futon in the den, relax, breathe deep, and again I’m so close to sleep. Each
breath draws me halfway there but I never quite arrive. Blessedly, my mind was
still and quiet. Eventually I just gave up and sat in the living room.</span></div>
<span style="font-size: x-large;">
<span style="font-size: medium;">
</span></span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div>
<span style="font-size: x-large;">
<span style="font-size: medium;">
</span></span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: x-large; line-height: 115%;">These are
the Limbo hours: no stream of thought, no metaphysical speculation, no deep and
profound pondering of anything, no recounting the troubles and worries of daily
life. Just a dull gray fog. I could
vaguely acknowledge that the insomnia was frustrating to madness, but I was
neither frustrated, nor mad. </span></div>
<span style="font-size: x-large;">
<span style="font-size: medium;">
</span></span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div>
<span style="font-size: x-large;">
<span style="font-size: medium;">
</span></span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: x-large; line-height: 115%;"> It was
limbo, a blank and empty place, soft,
gray, and effortless. A mercy from whatever spirits rule this world. It sort of
makes up for the barfing going in. (Not really.) </span></div>
<span style="font-size: x-large;">
<span style="font-size: medium;">
</span></span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div>
<span style="font-size: x-large;">
<span style="font-size: medium;">
</span></span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: x-large; line-height: 115%;">The house
was dark and cool, the sliding door open. I sat on the sofa looking at shadows,
listening to quiet, and feeling time drip by. Now and again Littlecat came in
to check on me. She’d bounce into the living room, rub against my ankle, want a
pet and a scratch and then dart off into the night again.</span></div>
<span style="font-size: x-large;">
<span style="font-size: medium;">
</span></span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: x-large; line-height: 115%;"> And so.</span></div>
<span style="font-size: x-large;">
<span style="font-size: medium;">
</span></span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: x-large; line-height: 115%;"> Hour after
hour, the night ticked on, my body winding down, my headspace blessedly empty. </span></div>
<span style="font-size: x-large;">
<span style="font-size: medium;">
</span></span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div>
<span style="font-size: x-large;">
<span style="font-size: medium;">
</span></span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: x-large; line-height: 115%;">There would
be no sleep all the next day, either. I could nibble at food, and sip water, but
that was about it. I’d been beaten pretty hard, and by 3:00 that afternoon even
the merciful sense of limbo was gone. All I could do was lie there and crave
sleep. I could still feel the buzzing 24 hours after drinking the brew. All in
all I was awake for about forty hours,
and on my ass for two days following. </span></div>
<span style="font-size: x-large;">
<span style="font-size: medium;">
</span></span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div>
<span style="font-size: x-large;">
<span style="font-size: medium;">
</span></span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div>
<span style="font-size: x-large;">
<span style="font-size: medium;">
</span></span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: x-large; line-height: 115%;">It was a tough,
and amazing journey into the mescaline dream, like climbing up the roughest
mountain to get to the most wonderful view imaginable, and crossing endless
miles of flat featureless desert to return. You understand that the rough climb,
the amazing view, and the desert are all parts of the trip.</span></div>
<span style="font-size: x-large;">
<span style="font-size: medium;">
</span></span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div>
<span style="font-size: x-large;">
<span style="font-size: medium;">
</span></span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: x-large; line-height: 115%;"> The nausea, the insomnia, the sheer level of
intoxication all sound awful. I won’t sugar coat things and say that the
sickness did not spoil much of the trip. But the buzz was wonderful, and sickness and
insomnia were integral to the experience. Just part of it. That’s all. Consider,
that there was no time in the trip where I felt regret, panic or terror. Even
during the sickness I never thought, ‘<i>Please make this stop!</i>’ Even though I was
tripping at my limit, I never wanted out. Even during the long empty hours I
simply understood that this, too, was a
part of what I had asked for, and that it would pass eventually. All in all it
was a magnificent experience.</span></div>
<span style="font-size: x-large;">
<span style="font-size: medium;">
</span></span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div>
<span style="font-size: x-large;">
<span style="font-size: medium;">
</span></span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: x-large; line-height: 115%;">I decided to
revisit the world of psychedelics a little over a year ago, but like a lot of
things, I sat on the decision for some months, and actually chickened out the
first time I had a chance to get some LSD. When I set out I didn’t expect
mescaline to be on the menu. Glad that it was. So what was I looking for? And
did I find it?</span></div>
<span style="font-size: x-large;">
<span style="font-size: medium;">
</span></span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div>
<span style="font-size: x-large;">
<span style="font-size: medium;">
</span></span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: x-large; line-height: 115%;">Psychedelics
can’t teach you anything that you don’t already know, but they can show you
what you didn’t know you knew. </span></div>
<span style="font-size: x-large;">
<span style="font-size: medium;">
</span></span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: x-large; line-height: 115%;">Psychedelics aren’t religion, but they can facilitate a religious
experience. </span></div>
<span style="font-size: x-large;">
<span style="font-size: medium;">
</span></span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: x-large; line-height: 115%;"> I see these substances as
natural wonders, strange awe-inspiring
places to visit like the Grand Canyon,
or Yellowstone. </span></div>
<span style="font-size: x-large;">
<span style="font-size: medium;">
</span></span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div>
<span style="font-size: x-large;">
<span style="font-size: medium;">
</span></span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: x-large; line-height: 115%;">These things
are here for a reason. We can only speculate as to why God saw fit to create
them, just as we may wonder that the Creation itself is suffused in beauty.</span></div>
<span style="font-size: x-large;">
<span style="font-size: medium;">
</span></span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div>
<span style="font-size: x-large;">
<span style="font-size: medium;">
</span></span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: x-large; line-height: 115%;"> I
wanted the experience for its own sake.
I wanted a transcendent event. The Achuma gave it to me in spades, and for that
I am grateful. Sickness and all. But it’s no game for an old man. If life is a book, then the thick part of this
volume is in my left hand. At this point I think I may have finished a chapter.
But I always say that…</span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span></span></span></h2><span style="font-family: Garamond;">
</span>JWMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05564732483476859555noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5415946761607993140.post-78721801776907103842023-06-14T08:04:00.000-07:002023-06-14T08:04:10.768-07:00Middle of the Wednesday<h1 style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Garamond;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"> Middle of the Wednesday</span></span></h1><h1 style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Garamond;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0byjWlZdPxgxvggc9LKuG3-chQFEn6JZmPyyhD0O530yM3VBzhHLPmw2S6ZzeKLJu5IID-ZJ8E2Zz4jue22JzeS-k5iXLXOWr45HtWzKs5GV70jslnyV55rPiqIm7_WBkAcHlQqsWwPjAJsMJl5tVi23kuwkfENEj1o8wX4ns7_brS3KRqH_W5wsU/s5184/IMG_7513.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="5184" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0byjWlZdPxgxvggc9LKuG3-chQFEn6JZmPyyhD0O530yM3VBzhHLPmw2S6ZzeKLJu5IID-ZJ8E2Zz4jue22JzeS-k5iXLXOWr45HtWzKs5GV70jslnyV55rPiqIm7_WBkAcHlQqsWwPjAJsMJl5tVi23kuwkfENEj1o8wX4ns7_brS3KRqH_W5wsU/w400-h266/IMG_7513.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br /></span></span></h1><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Garamond;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">Sometimes it feels like you just have way too much to do. There are too many projects, too many little tasks, too many annoying details of life that get between me, and what I want to accomplish.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Garamond;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">Well, then, what are they? What projects, tasks, and details are so piled up that I can't get out from under them? Uh- wait, I'll get back to you any minute now.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Garamond;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Garamond;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">Well, there is the stone...</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Garamond;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><i>You worked on the stone.</i></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Garamond;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">And there is the slideshow...</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Garamond;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><i>You worked on the slideshow.</i></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Garamond;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">The museum show...</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Garamond;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><i>You're working on that today.</i></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Garamond;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">And Arkhaven! Don't forget...</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Garamond;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><i>I've done as much as I need to do for right now</i>.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Garamond;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">Barring some unforeseen something, The Lost Era Transcripts will be going live on the Arkhaven site in one week, on Wed. June 21. I'm holding my breath. <br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Garamond;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Garamond;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">But then there's all the other shit: cars, house, yard, bikes, deal with the DMV. I have a memory somewhere, of having all this kind of stuff on my plate, and still having to do an eight hour working day. Somehow it all got taken care of, or it all would have gone to hell a long time ago.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Garamond;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">So anyway. Let's take a look at the rock.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Garamond;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Garamond;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHKbwySNsYsE8zgNQllowNFB6qrMMvMI9ZW09WKETnHKOgxEZn5OccxPBqRsERwO59tcUlfdRFYNVAaRu_c9a-nHh4zYAKZidLOZJc0xt7wWkoiD2mnbpVOhLftUhBWIZO5oxWF4COg1qkqJROtYIYDwxbbMMDfX-gfVsCTOPC5u12s0tf9h9DmbXb/s5184/IMG_7517.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="5184" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHKbwySNsYsE8zgNQllowNFB6qrMMvMI9ZW09WKETnHKOgxEZn5OccxPBqRsERwO59tcUlfdRFYNVAaRu_c9a-nHh4zYAKZidLOZJc0xt7wWkoiD2mnbpVOhLftUhBWIZO5oxWF4COg1qkqJROtYIYDwxbbMMDfX-gfVsCTOPC5u12s0tf9h9DmbXb/s320/IMG_7517.JPG" width="320" /></a></div></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Garamond;"></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Garamond;"></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Garamond;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">This is a make-it-up-as-I-go exercise. The photos don't show the translucence very well, but this stone takes the light quite nicely. I mentioned in the last post that the long pointed teardrop seems to suggest a female figure. I'm not going to exploit that as a prominent feature, nor am I going to try to "disguise" it with distracting details. The bulge in the teardrop is going to be rounded, and hollowed out like a spoon. <br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Garamond;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2r8Ckk2LLvoOUkn5yvRJdofvx3kzr-H5Q41ordfp1kZE20lz4Hoyypc-nipMhkYxWP81bXTkrtf4Di3w8_sJDgDQzQtaNI-saK1qe-uBKqhfMBbu8foo-n9j_UkeKi6ksESreYyGvXg1ErvkXtLBRt61KJrqGrYIaUm9a0MN4oj_UROK1chDDNVB7/s5184/IMG_7518.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="5184" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2r8Ckk2LLvoOUkn5yvRJdofvx3kzr-H5Q41ordfp1kZE20lz4Hoyypc-nipMhkYxWP81bXTkrtf4Di3w8_sJDgDQzQtaNI-saK1qe-uBKqhfMBbu8foo-n9j_UkeKi6ksESreYyGvXg1ErvkXtLBRt61KJrqGrYIaUm9a0MN4oj_UROK1chDDNVB7/s320/IMG_7518.JPG" width="320" /></a></div></span><span style="font-family: Garamond;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">The funnel shape to the right of the tear is going to get hollowed out too. Again, the goal is working toward the light.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Garamond;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Garamond;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">I'm nearing the point where I break out the drill. It's going to be tricky. But that's what makes it fun. There will be lots of open work, and thin-cut stone coming soon. After that, the big old rock goes on stage. That's gonna' be a challenge.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Garamond;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">For later.<br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Garamond;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Garamond;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgN81NerfY0wrJQG23fEGJXNI1vGpOCSUzT5NN0mWRQZoHmkfp6jTg3b9xHBo4NPKoPDe0PqVlt18awVxnJf3XK2QG9I_W9tMVX-vqS0o66ioTy1o7jGa0FxQhohQeHbO-QnUXhpCHIzKshrJI5MDEbwvbWDpjo6Hy0qap7GLUC0rTTEpnW_er1u54c/s5184/IMG_7519.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="5184" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgN81NerfY0wrJQG23fEGJXNI1vGpOCSUzT5NN0mWRQZoHmkfp6jTg3b9xHBo4NPKoPDe0PqVlt18awVxnJf3XK2QG9I_W9tMVX-vqS0o66ioTy1o7jGa0FxQhohQeHbO-QnUXhpCHIzKshrJI5MDEbwvbWDpjo6Hy0qap7GLUC0rTTEpnW_er1u54c/s320/IMG_7519.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixhnvWW-n8YJHEEk9H055EvYbePB9LrRjVnalfMR5R_VZgGpN6OyD5357CSSVakaMHTMTi_R1uwD6UpjIFCGUe2Np_FQBpO5YO3SLKWYUWMXMB_iPjanz4PItlJg-wZ3T6WlaHoLdQW5KPfXIJysvgm42RMFBWbCYyeO_1Rm2iDu4dUzMk-D69Nbzv/s5184/IMG_7520.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="5184" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixhnvWW-n8YJHEEk9H055EvYbePB9LrRjVnalfMR5R_VZgGpN6OyD5357CSSVakaMHTMTi_R1uwD6UpjIFCGUe2Np_FQBpO5YO3SLKWYUWMXMB_iPjanz4PItlJg-wZ3T6WlaHoLdQW5KPfXIJysvgm42RMFBWbCYyeO_1Rm2iDu4dUzMk-D69Nbzv/s320/IMG_7520.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhg4cZD8tk6K4RFSeClKullTKR58zPozjySvrBgEYkMy5wBH4DpUCUG8X9UNEHMy3DsBezSbDfsfOmctOhrt0UM5-NnE8WhS4m_NIvPvX1gtyefB3P-tu2dfE7cus54ZpqSgyixeN1uF4mVqiBUu2Ek08prEXeIw8RFJphX9vZtgtcvrelfe5nMHXWp/s3456/IMG_3167%20copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2304" data-original-width="3456" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhg4cZD8tk6K4RFSeClKullTKR58zPozjySvrBgEYkMy5wBH4DpUCUG8X9UNEHMy3DsBezSbDfsfOmctOhrt0UM5-NnE8WhS4m_NIvPvX1gtyefB3P-tu2dfE7cus54ZpqSgyixeN1uF4mVqiBUu2Ek08prEXeIw8RFJphX9vZtgtcvrelfe5nMHXWp/s320/IMG_3167%20copy.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></span></div>JWMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05564732483476859555noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5415946761607993140.post-85600933361839249482023-06-05T16:25:00.000-07:002023-06-05T16:25:23.557-07:00Been a While<h1 style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Garamond;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"> Been a While</span></span></h1><h1 style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Garamond;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZOPk_Aux5QvQ-cEWHIhSPP4jZSTov6v9n7YsjYum6Tms8iwl0Fflj4VlCD3O1AYQqDS16H2qOGOnmwEqYGpnblLQj6QaRKgpqxPodfSBEh2fZd5nX7UbKZbabST18Vy2fTYwOH6Gm2FpSzTzNpjTBKOTsb-z88ReXO4Wm_pOA7LxD5jDvSLU7Pl3c/s5184/IMG_7511.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="5184" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZOPk_Aux5QvQ-cEWHIhSPP4jZSTov6v9n7YsjYum6Tms8iwl0Fflj4VlCD3O1AYQqDS16H2qOGOnmwEqYGpnblLQj6QaRKgpqxPodfSBEh2fZd5nX7UbKZbabST18Vy2fTYwOH6Gm2FpSzTzNpjTBKOTsb-z88ReXO4Wm_pOA7LxD5jDvSLU7Pl3c/w400-h266/IMG_7511.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br /> </span></span></h1><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Garamond;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">This is, without a doubt, the coolest grayest spring that I can remember. Week before last I drove down to Hemet to spend the day shootin' the shit with my old friends, Jeff and Bob. There is nothing to recommend the drive. </span></span><span style="font-family: Garamond;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">Hemet
is about seventy five miles from here. Of course there was a time when
that seventy five mile drive could be done in less than two hours. But
there was also...</span></span><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Garamond;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">Why go into it? Driving in So Cal has been a nightmare since forever.</span></span></div><span style="font-family: Garamond;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"> It was great to be able to just sit down and talk with these guys. Hell, we go all the way back to high school days. Jeff is doing OK out there. He's made a lot of friends, and they all still do their share of partying. <br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Garamond;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Garamond;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"> It isn't often, anymore that I get the chance to sit down and just talk at length with anyone except for Mary. The afternoon was well worth the miserable drive home. </span></span><span style="font-family: Garamond;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">One
of Jeff's pals turned him on to a couple of shrooms, and Jeff passed
them along to me. Brewed one into tea a few nights ago, and it was fun.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Garamond;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span></span></div><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Garamond;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Garamond;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">Anyway-</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Garamond;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">Suddenly I seem to have a ton of work on my plate. Next month is "The Hills Are Alive" show at the Whittier Museum. I have eight of Pete Hampton's paintings to hang, plus a bio-sketch, and links to the websites to prepare.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Garamond;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">We're still working on the Lost Era slide show movie, which will take center stage after I get the Arkhaven site up and running. It has been a challenge getting the Lost Era Transcripts re-formatted for the new platforms. My computer-foo is getting a workout. If all goes well the serial should go live in a couple, or three weeks.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Garamond;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Garamond;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">And someplace in all this mess I have a stone project that I really want to work on. I'm managing to get a few days in here and there, but that's it. I need to do more. Computer work is not difficult, but it's robotic and dull. Each individual task is simple, but it adds up to a mountain, and a molehill of simple tasks. The stonework is purely a right brain dance. The perfect antidote to keys, and clicks.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Garamond;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Garamond;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">Here's where I left off.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Garamond;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">This is very much a make-it-up-as-I go project. I keep finding new stuff to do with it, and I'm having fun. But like I mentioned earlier, this is sharing time and energy with a whole bunch of other stuff. It's coming along slowly.<br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Garamond;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Garamond;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"> <br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Garamond;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-CpB_xyQ-pPSvGYtAlYS65ZaPX3HWxYYwyerXoVRH5tx547MMc3su5HvsTrwzfuGaOwlR7lPkya2RxthkVVUeUF6oNK2Kri6nbGkXX975KSZ8xJF2iDndhvbOTniOCqz8d5gR9GrCAPyzMJhjUjJzdAS7XvPfvgruQq2fSBKfZH03SeFe0tjVxTfb/s5184/IMG_7510.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="5184" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-CpB_xyQ-pPSvGYtAlYS65ZaPX3HWxYYwyerXoVRH5tx547MMc3su5HvsTrwzfuGaOwlR7lPkya2RxthkVVUeUF6oNK2Kri6nbGkXX975KSZ8xJF2iDndhvbOTniOCqz8d5gR9GrCAPyzMJhjUjJzdAS7XvPfvgruQq2fSBKfZH03SeFe0tjVxTfb/s320/IMG_7510.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvQYb594vyIUUADnXbRP3c7YSr6x0EcDaB1cCNCTpAI7hvDAa468kRtAA05_ZLF9HCvxGUzjQrZpWSrbDOMLxDyDflQxBAZvOXfUq2jvhlWoWvewdeWF4zkdvkYHMPTbFX_S2zRDZUQOJG8Md9glckWYaojp-qZrIR87h8tomcby8uoKSKHe37eSJt/s5184/IMG_7509.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="5184" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvQYb594vyIUUADnXbRP3c7YSr6x0EcDaB1cCNCTpAI7hvDAa468kRtAA05_ZLF9HCvxGUzjQrZpWSrbDOMLxDyDflQxBAZvOXfUq2jvhlWoWvewdeWF4zkdvkYHMPTbFX_S2zRDZUQOJG8Md9glckWYaojp-qZrIR87h8tomcby8uoKSKHe37eSJt/s320/IMG_7509.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgs1xsIjKGIDO4dA65iuN1JRfV7YcWCXuwYFJpeunVlQfS4c9ywOwnTogCR6EeRJ8oOK_6dXsERudWCKCgIsoSH7H7iYbkJhhto6hFzaRvzOcoQbaWX6iQmoWgJCtcPaLjtpcL6bvtGrnCThEJ4t-sUtqMr7vu5GsgdtohuYM4qbEVvfCJnrKZZ-07J/s5184/IMG_7508.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="5184" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgs1xsIjKGIDO4dA65iuN1JRfV7YcWCXuwYFJpeunVlQfS4c9ywOwnTogCR6EeRJ8oOK_6dXsERudWCKCgIsoSH7H7iYbkJhhto6hFzaRvzOcoQbaWX6iQmoWgJCtcPaLjtpcL6bvtGrnCThEJ4t-sUtqMr7vu5GsgdtohuYM4qbEVvfCJnrKZZ-07J/s320/IMG_7508.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7X7-2lT50q-_yskW7BajxgujDJpnqTeRLerCcQPXGKbV56Hn4dVOw8LjPX9kQm5rm7r6DFty6-k190-q0OsH4eRZE0UcFTJLgp43x-w0LFJNyM9IDZdkIG6JKfDBj8tgdVgKjuw_tC18wfDQ_B4Jn3MvlhJOB67dF_ixa81xmHJzREErKkT3sKGv3/s5184/IMG_7507.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="5184" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7X7-2lT50q-_yskW7BajxgujDJpnqTeRLerCcQPXGKbV56Hn4dVOw8LjPX9kQm5rm7r6DFty6-k190-q0OsH4eRZE0UcFTJLgp43x-w0LFJNyM9IDZdkIG6JKfDBj8tgdVgKjuw_tC18wfDQ_B4Jn3MvlhJOB67dF_ixa81xmHJzREErKkT3sKGv3/s320/IMG_7507.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Garamond;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Garamond;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">It's a lot of stuff to do. And sitting here with my coffee cold in the cup, I realize that, you know- I don't have to do any of this. There is no boss, no deadline, no consequence for saying, "Screw this."</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Garamond;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">Except in my head. This voice reminds me that there is only so much time. You gotta' *DO* something with it.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Garamond;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">Why?</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Garamond;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">Just because.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Garamond;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Garamond;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">Because things are changing.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Garamond;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"> (no, really?!)</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Garamond;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Garamond;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"> I mean things are changing with me. For years, now, being "well-informed" has seemed very important. I have a zillion web sites bookmarked, and I have access to all the information, facts, and opinion that I can cram into my head.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Garamond;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">Suddenly, not only does it seem unimportant, but it seems like a great way to squander a lot of time and energy on things over which I have no control. And there are plenty of things to be angry, or dismayed about without searching out more.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Garamond;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">So, it's time to re-direct that energy.<br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Garamond;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">Easy to say.<br /></span></span></div>JWMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05564732483476859555noreply@blogger.com3