Pears Progress
Here's what's happened to Sandra's Pears
acrylic on canvas
8 x 8 inches
Barbara Muir © 2009
(I have a feeling that this painting, which
is evolving, will get more work before I decide
I can't do one more thing with it. But I
am happier than I was. If I use
David Lobenberg's mathematical
approach -- it's 90.1% finished. He
makes me laugh. School all day tomorrow.
I'm going to bed.)
This photo is of my garden six
years ago. The grass needs cutting,
but I can't believe how much the apple tree
has grown since its first summer,
and the shrubs!
organized. I get addled easily, and I am unconscionably
easily distracted by a phone call, piece of music, or a sudden
change in light, or a flower. In short I need check
lists.
Today is the first day of school, and I have been making
check lists for a couple of days. As I teach kids how to
get organized so they can survive first semester at
college, which usually dovetails nicely with their
19th birthday (the official age when teenagers can
drink alcohol easily), the check list may save their
term.
Mine is about clothes -- what to wear -- all
clean and ready. Me -- the same. Lunch, prepared
and packed. Books -- ditto. Car - gas. dinner the
night before -- what to eat to be calm and energized.
Plus all of the other myriad details that go into arriving
at school on time, ready and raring to go. Did I remember
keys for the car, and my office, and now my USB stick to
put the notes up on the giant monitor because we're not
allowed to print them anymore!!!
Done. All ready. Whew. Now about painting. Same
deal. Check list. Canvasses are ready. Paints are in their
clear egg carton palette. Brushes are clean and dry and ready.
All systems -- fire away.
See? That was easy. I even have an Easy button from
Staples that I'll take to school and they can all hit it and
hear it say "That was Easy!" and feel a little less worried
about the year. Plus we'll all smile at one another. Put
that on the check list.
Have a happily-checking-things-off-the-list day
