Art – Page 3 – Tao and Zen

Monday, February 1st 2021… Lots of balls in the air…

HEY! It’s a reference to juggling, smart ass. I’ve been busy lately, not that I’m not always busy, I received my “PowerBreathe” in the mail yesterday. I bought this hoping to increase my lung capacity. Hopefully, it can help me on my bike this year. It’s a 4 week course of twice a day. I am supposed to not over-train like any other muscle and give myself enough recovery time. When the hell am I supposed to get my high-intensity training in? I’ve got to figure this thing out. On a similar note, I purchased some more weight to make working out at home more feasible. Yesterday, when I was snow blowing the driveway, I was using my neighbors snowblower and for a time and i actually felt that I was hurting my shoulder or bicep tie-in. I was a little tender this morning but not too bad. Today, I also began to just sit with my back against the wall, stretching my psoas. Trying to undo the damage sitting and working from home for long hours has caused.

One other thing that i have been working on is creating a book of watercolor paints and values of my limited pallet and all my convenience colors. It’s been interesting seeing what mixes with what and what the paint values look like.

With all the snow that we got yesterday, I had to walk around to the back of the house today to knock the hanging drifts off the roof. We got between 11 and 13 inches. I refilled some of the bird feeders and added some water to the bird bath.

-Rat

Sunday, January 17th 2021…Everyday is a new day!…

I found out that I have tomorrow off! Hooray for me! I think I will spend some time today painting. I started a new painting in my watercolor class and while I began on a 8×10 sheet, I realized that it’s way to small and so I went to a full sheet which is 22×30. I will post my progress. The subject was drawn to scale and some minor painting has taken place. I decided not to do the virtual watercolor seminar. I will continue with my current class from McCord.

On a different note, I began listening to some lectures on Organic Chemistry. I have to divert my mind while on the octane (a recumbent elliptical machine). I finished the lecture series on “Why Evil Exists”. It’s about the history of evil and where it comes from, from philosophical, religious, and social viewpoints. It was a fairly interesting series. It was delivered by Professor Charles Mathewes, Ph.D. via “The Great Courses”. I have found that in this series though, since the explanations require illustrations to emphasize a point, i find myself re-watching the lectures because I miss quite a bit while exercising. Its interesting how much I have forgotten.

-Rat

Saturday, January 9th 2021…What to do, what to do…

I’m in a bit of a quandary with my watercolor skills. Do I sign up for a virtual seminar, take a couple of days off. Record the seminar and replay it at will, or skip it and just focus on my current watercolor class. It’s not very expensive, however I will need to take at least 1 weekday off and a whole weekend. Not that I get paid for weekends. The real quandary is that I only have 7 days to record the seminar. I only have one more day. I still haven’t recorded the meditation class. Just no time.

-Rat

Wednesday, January 6th 2021… art is da bomb…

I had my watercolor class after a stressful day at work. Something I look forward to. Afterwards, had a nice facetime call with my daughter and her fiance’. I like where they are going with the decision to elope. Makes sense with COVID and all the uncertainty of this year. Who is to say that we will return to normalcy by the end of the year. Why put money down on a wedding venue when there are no guarantees (crazy)? Will the venue even be in business when you get to your date? Too much money at stake for a business and for future couple. Got to run…

-Rat

Thursday, August 27th 2020… Nothing to say… lately…

Work sucks, been riding when I can in the mornings on my bike with Vikash. Been watercolor painting when time permits. No martial arts, no lifting, no life drawing – here in the desert. My only real entertainment is the birds and learning Dutch.

I have 2 bikes, a hybrid which is a cross between a gravel bike and a mountain bike. Basic front, lockable suspension, thin-ish knobby tires with a road stripe, and disk breaks. It can be taken off road, rode on gravel or street. Its a workout on the trail around my house. I’ve rode it on the “Bike the Drive” ride and it have me awful chaffing. It wasn’t made for a 30 mile ride. I learned the hard way. I also have a road bike with 700×25 tires which I purchased used in March this year. It was made to roll. Carbon frame, awesome gearing, skinny tires. While I haven’t ridden it 30 miles yet, I’m sure it would handle it with aplomb. I’ve ridden it for over 500 miles this year so far. Only 2 flats. I decided I’m getting some gator skin tires. They should be delivered tomorrow. I will have them on for a 30 mile ride on Saturday.

So, I have been taking a watercolor class with John Howard. He’s an AA Art Grad and all around good guy who teaches watercolor and drawing at McCord. He’s got some mad watercolor skills. Pretty funny, a guy I went to school with from AA back in the day, had a art show at McCord – Dale Popovich. He was a hell raiser when we were in school, or that is what I remember :). Anyway, my watercolor skills have a ways to go. I’m better than most, but I know what I’m capable of and what I think I can aspire to.

Lee’s has been out of the question with COVID and stuff, same with the gym – off limits. Cant wait until there is a vaccine. No life drawing here in the South Side Desert. I’d have to go to Elmhurst but with working from home so much, ill wait until the winter time if we get a vaccine. We bought a recumbent elliptical machine for the house so we can exercise when the weather gets shitty.

I’m an avid bird watcher. I try and make sure their feeders are stocked and the birdbaths are filled. I have 5 feeders. A hummingbird feeder, a thistle feeder, a cylindrical songbird feeder, a suet feeder, and a black oil sunflower feeder. They (sparrows, finches, cardinals, doves, chickadees) are like a bunch of toddlers, its fun to watch them. I can be entertained for hours. Then there is the occasional hawk, which is always interesting. I just wish he’d get a chipmunk or 2.

I’m learning Dutch via Duo Lingo. Which albeit is fun, is really a labor of love and is a bit of a grind. I am following a few people who I would like to think I know! Hope springs eternal. I am truly an optimist.

-Rat