Cunniforms to Blinking Cursors

These are all the holidays in December.

Hanukkah

For eight days each November or December, Jews light

 a special candle holder called a menorah. 

Three Kings Day

At the end of the Twelve Days of Christmas comes a day

called the Epiphany, or Three Kings Day.

Winter Solstice

The Winter Solstice occurs around December 21.

 It is the shortest day of the year.

St. Lucia Day

To honor this third-century saint on December 13, many girls in Sweden dress up as “Lucia brides” in long white gowns with red sashes, and a wreath of burning candles on their heads. 

St. Nicholas Day

A popular December holiday in many European countries,

St. Nicholas Day, celebrates St. Nicholas of Myra, the man whose life inspired the tradition of Santa Claus and Father Christmas.

Christmas

People celebrate this Christian holiday by going to church,

giving gifts, and sharing the day with their families. 

Kwanzaa

Kwanzaa, which means “First Fruits,” is based on ancient African harvest festivals and celebrates ideals such as family life and unity. 

New Year

In Ecuador, families dress a straw man in old clothes on

December 31. The straw man represents the old year. 

This is the last line in one of my daily mantras. Being grateful for what I have instead of praying for what I don’t have is how I have lived for the last fifteen years. I don’t consider myself an atheist. I still believe there is a divine eminence, I just think in terms of a gender-neutral diety. I’ve become more spiritual instead of religious. I was a fairly faithful Episcopalian for about a quarter of a century. However, when I learned for thousands of years there was a female deity and that even the almighty God of the bible most likely had a wife, the dogma of religion totally and completely turned me off. I learned about and read many myths, legends, folktales of other cultures and realized what I had been taught was just one way of believing. So I turned to more indigenous, goddess forms of spirituality. My mantras come from a little book, Witch on the Go by Cal Garrison, I bought in 2006. I’ve revised or added to them to make them my own. Being grateful for the visible, tangible, constant aspects of life, I seemed to wake up to a new way of thinking, of believing. Every morning as I shower, bathe, or just wash my face I recite this little mantra, acknowledging life-giving water.

Water of spirit, water of life, thank you for removing all of the strive,

Out of my mind, out of my body, out of my heart

Every day is a brand new start!

It may sound silly, but as I feel the warm water on my body, or splash cold water on my face, I physically feel the stress or tension leave my body. I feel a lightness come over me and I truly am ready to meet the day.

As I said above, I live my life in gratefulness. Before I take a sip of my morning coffee, I recite another mantra to honor the four directions, the guardians, goddesses, and a divine eminence. I start by facing the east, where the sun rises, reciting the first line, and then taking my first sip of coffee then turn and repeat.

Thank you to the guardians and goddesses of the east.

Thank you to the guardians and goddesses of the south.

Thank you to the guardians and goddesses of the west.

Thank you to the guardians and goddesses of the north.

Earth mother, sky father and divine eminence.

I am receiving all good things,

my family is receiving all good things,

my friends are receiving all good things.

Thank you, thank you, thank you!

These two mantras help me keep my life in perspective, positive, and hopeful, which in these times of COVID and political divide are much needed. Both of the mantras reflect my love of nature, the earth, the sun, and the moon; the visible, tangible constant aspects of life that have been worshipped, honored for thousands of years.

Remember, every day is brand new start.

April 21, 2021

Monday afternoon while browsing Facebook, I read a New York Times article a friend posted “There’s a Name for the Blah your feeling: It’s Called Languishing”” by Adam Grant . I listened to Adam’s reading of his article this morning. He describes how I’ve been feeling lately perfectly. He says languishing is that “void between depression and flourish.” Yes, yes, yes! I haven’t written here in this blog for a couple weeks, I have two drawings, #49 and #54, on my drawing table that are not even half done. I finished a book but could not decide on what to read next. I live with my little Yorkie/Havanese, Annie Bananie, and we have our routine, but we’ve been stuck in this routine for a one year and thirty-nine days!

To top it off, It’s April in Michigan so anything can happen! And this morning we woke up to a Winter White weighing down every bush and tree. Yes, it is beautiful, but I worry about my lilac bush, will it survive? I did bring in all my plants I had in pots, so they will be fine. It is not supposed to warm up until tomorrow. This weather does not help my languishing!

Languishing, Adam says is a long-haul pandemic condition that has been brought on by COVID-19 restrictions. These “stay home, stay safe” restrictions have kept us all from visiting, traveling, shopping, going anywhere or having anyone over to visit. Yes, I have gone shopping wearing my mask. Yes, I have had my bubble of friends and family over a few times. However, I have not been on Eastern’s campus since March 11th 2020. I have survived to this point because I am a positive, creative person and I have lived alone for the last twenty-six years, since my youngest moved to California.

I learned long ago to do the things experts suggest. I make myself sit at the table to eat dinner, sometimes I even lite candles. I have a routine and a couple of mantras I recite before drinking my coffee, while washing my face, while taking a shower or soaking in the tub. I carry a talisman in my pocket. I have breathing exercises, I walk regularly in a park. I write every morning in one of my journals. And of course, I write here in this blog when the spirit moves me. Writing has been a form of therapy for me for a long time. I have a whole shelf of journals I’ve filled over the years.

So, I was moved this morning to write about this condition of “Languishing,” even the sound it makes when you say it out loud just feels like I feel. LanguishingI I’m sure there are others out there who are feeling the same. I thank Adam Grant for writing the article. Maybe sending these feelings out into the universe, the ether will help bring me out of this funk.

Maybe.

I have drawn more in the last month then I have in two years. It feels good. My biggest struggle is figuring out what to draw and if it will be just graphic or colored pencils. Some of my colored pencil are only a couple inches long, so I bought myself a new set. They are Prismacolor premier watercolor 24 count colored pencils. Below you will see the frog with a butterfly on its head where I tried to do a watercolor background. It did not work. I need to practice on separate paper.

Drawing 26 – I went back to the Petoskey stone design. I love the pattern and intricacy of the little coral shapes. I would like to do a whole series.

Drawing 27 – Another drawing of my right hand. This time I took a photo of the hand because it’s hard to hold it still and in the exact position for an hour or more.

Drawing 28 – I went back to one of my drawing books for an exercise on drawing different parts of the body. I tried to draw an arm, however, the hand ended up too small. I will need to draw a lot more.

Drawing 29 – I decided to draw a turtle. I have an empty turtle shell that sits in my rock basket and I like the design pattern. I went online and found a photo of the same type of turtle so I could draw the whole turtle. My daughter and granddaughter both have turtles as pets.

Drawing 30 – I drew another tree frog with a butterfly sitting on its head. I used the new set of watercolor pencils and painted the background but it became a mess. I need a lot more practice with these pencils. I love the idea but I need to draw with these pencils on watercolor paper.

Drawing 31 – An Iguana, I was fascinated with the scales and spikes. I may do this again because the original photo is in color.

Drawing 32 – Three frogs on a branch. Yes, I seem to always go back to frogs as my subjects.

Drawing 33 – Birch Tree reflection. I took the photo last year. This is the second time I’ve tried drawing the landscape, it needs to be much darker. Maybe I will go back and darken it up.

Another week of drawing under my belt as winter begins to wane. Hang in there, spring is just around the corner.

February 25, 2021

Today, I received my first dose of the Pfizer vaccine! My second dose is scheduled for March 18th. The COVID-19 pandemic has kept us all isolated in our homes since March 2020 and during that time we have all had to figure out how to deal with the cabin fever of a different sort. I chose to challenge myself to draw every day for a 100 days that started on Jan. 31st. Some days I do really well. Other days I find myself sitting at my drawing table staring into the ether wondering what the heck I’m going to draw today? However, I have gotten into a sort of schedule between Zoom consultations with students, written feedback consultations for students’ writing, UWC Zoom meetings, YpsiWrites Zoom meetings, WAC Speakers Presentations and Book group on Zoom, I have drawn every day for twenty-five days. I have also written here in my blog once a week. So today I write about drawings 19-25.

Drawing 19, I went back to the clementine. I have many photos of clementine peels and sections. About five years ago I was drawing/sketching clementines every morning. So, here is my latest version of the clementine.

Drawing 20, Yes, another frog. I have collected all kinds of frogs (like the frog necklace I wear most days), written about frogs, photographed frogs, drawn frogs for many years. My children’s book is about a pond full of frogs. I have been collecting photos of them and then I draw them.

Drawing 21, I tried to draw my right hand while looking at it. I kept moving its position. It was frustrating. It needs work.

Drawing 22, I went back to the drawing book to practice hands because that is what I need to do. Draw a lot of hands.

Drawing 23, back to a little tree frog waving. I always have fun with these drawings.

Drawing 24, another frog sitting on a big green leaf. I love shading from dark to light to indicate contours. The technique takes a lot of time and patience, however there’s great satisfaction in seeing the leaf take shape. This one has areas that work better than others, but it looks like a leaf.

Drawing 25, brought me back to trying to draw my hand again. This time I took a photo of my left hand in honor of what would have been my husband’s 76th birthday. I wear the last ring he bought me on that hand with my three children’s birthstones, along with one of the small diamonds from my original ring. The drawing still needs more work, but what should I expect of a 74 year old hand, my veins are very pronounced and the skin is wrinkly.

Now, I need to figure out what drawing 26 will be. So, until next blog post, have a great week!

Day 10 of this challenge, I just picked up this pinecone that sits amongst my collection of stones in a round basket on my coffee table. Then I drew for an hour or so. Yes, there are days I think to myself “WHY?” and I answer myself with “Because it’s a pandemic, and it’s winter and there is nothing else better to do with your time. Oh, okay.” So I draw.

Day 11 had me drawing from a photo of a frog sitting on a mushroom that I had downloaded from a Facebook group. I actually had fun drawing the mushrooms, something I had never drawn before.

Day 12 I scrolled through my photos on my phone and tried drawing Annie from a photo I had taken on one of our walks at Rolling Hills. Ugh! Objects I do well with but living beings . . .I need a lot more practice.

As you can see with my Day 13 poor attempt at a self portrait (actually scary attempt). I need a lot more practice drawing faces: eyes, nose, and mouths!

So I pulled out another drawing book, yes I have a whole bookshelf of them. This one is The Ultimate Book of Drawing: Essential Skills, Techniques & Inspiration For Artists by Barrington Barber. I turned to the chapter on Portraits and began to read and highlight as I read. I have had this book for a while. I think I got it while I was working at Edwards Brothers Book & Journal Manufacturing, I’ve been retired for ten years, so yes it has sat on the shelf for quite a while.

I started with the young girl for Day 14 then moved to the male Day 15 and finally decided I needed to practice the eyes, the nose, and the mouth a whole lot more Day 16. I should probably practice drawing them everyday before doing any other drawings.

Day 17 My eclectic interests got the better of me and led me to drawing a skull!

Day 18 After posting a photo of Annie with static electric hair on Facebook and Instagram, my granddaughter suggested I draw Annie. She had been outside in the snow and I had her laying on a towel to dry off. She kept rolling around and when she popped up this is what she looked like. I just laughed and laughed after taking the photo. So, I drew her this morning. I call it Annie’s Bad Hair Day.

I’m glad I challenged myself to this 100 days of drawing, it’s almost as demanding as taking a class except I have to come up with all of the assignments or ideas.

In the past I have drawn a series of the same thing, like two years ago was the Petoskey stone series and five years ago it was clementine sections and peels. I have probably a hundred photos of all different angles. I usually eat a clementine a day and I unpeel them in one continuous ribbon then separate the sections so it looks like a flower. A clementine flower. I almost drew one this morning, but I kept hearing Ceci’s suggestion in my head so I had to draw static electric Annie.

Maybe for Day 19 I will draw a clementine flower, who knows.

I’m currently reading four different books, two on my iPad and two paperbacks. I started Ibram X. Kendi’s How To Be An Antiracist on my iPad last summer after reading Stamped: Racism, Antiracism & You by Jason Reynolds & Kendi. I think every family should have a copy of Reynold’s book. I seriously thought about giving a copy as an Xmas gift to everyone. Since I’m not teaching this semester, I’m reading Cultivating Genius by Dr. Gholdy Muhammad with EMU WAC group. It’s important to me to learn new ways to teach. For fun I’m reading Troubled Blood book 5 of the Cormoran Strike series by Galbraith/Rowling. I enjoy reading a series, you get to know the characters. I recently finished the Khorasan Archives by Asma Khan, Bloodprint is the first book. I loved learning about a middle eastern culture and a new type of magic, yes it’s a fantasy with two strong female main characters. I’m also reading To Kill A Mockingbird again with my youngest granddaughter. While downloading the image below, I found out there is a graphic version, so I ordered a used copy. For Xmas I gave myself the graphic version of the Handmaid’s Tale to add to my collection.

I only read a chapter at a time of How To Be An Antiracist because it is difficult and frustrating to learn all the ways you have been a racist over the years. I need to digest it. I just finished chapter 5 about ethnic racism. I think back to when I was younger and realize I’ve been an ethnic racist because of comments I heard growing up from adults I thought were good people. It makes me sick to my stomach. Of course I have learned over time to think in terms of individuals not ethnic groups. Kendi helps us understand how ethnic racism works, how all racism works.

I’m reading Cultivating Genius: An Equity Framework for Culturally and Historically Responsive Literacy with the WAC book group to better my pedagogy. We just had the first dialogue workshop last Friday to discuss chapters 1 & 2. There were 39 participants. In breakout rooms we were asked to choose a sentence, phrase or word that caught our attention in chapter 2. I chose the phrase “Identities are multilayered” (49) from a Gee quote Muhammad used, ‘Identities are multilayered and shaped by the social and cultural environment as well as by literacy practices.” This struck me as being significant because the first writing project I have students do has to do with their own identity. In their final reflection essays the majority will say this was their favorite assignment. I want to make this assignment speak to their multilayered identities even more than it does now.

For fun and relaxation I’m reading the fifth book in the Cormoran Strike series Troubled Blood by Robert Galbraith a.k.a. Rowling. I love reading a series and this detective mystery stories have a female character who grows as a person and a detective throughout the series. I usually read this at night before falling asleep.

The fourth book, To Kill a Mockingbird, I’m reading with my youngest granddaughter. We’ve only discussed the first two chapters so far. We both agreed that Scout, the precocious six year old, is an awesome character.

This semester, reading, reading, reading is my entertainment besides trying to rewatch all of the DVDs I own. So, next time I may write about my favorite DVDs. Blessings!

Day 309 of the COVID-19 Pandemic January 18, 2021

Uncertainty hangs in the air. I’m not teaching this semester and it feels like I’m forgetting to do something. I am a writing consultant for the University Writing Center but that is all virtual and only ten hours a week. So, to get a little more organized, I’ve been creating a list of all of my passwords. Ugh! It is incredible how many I have. Some passwords I use regularly everyday but others it depends, maybe once a week or once a month or maybe once a year. Take this blog post for instance, I had to create a new password to login and I’m not totally sure where it’s going to show up, so I clicked on publish.

Well, it only took me 30 minutes to figure out how to edit this post! Maybe I will try to write once a week in this blog. I write in a couple journals each day. I have a leather case that holds my morning journal that sits on the small round oak table in my kitchen. I write in it while drinking my morning coffee and eating my yogurt and cherry oatmeal. This journal is more personal. I write my thoughts for the morning, how I’m feeling, what may need to be done that day. This morning I needed to contact the vet to have Annie’s prescription refilled for her allergy medicine. I will sometimes add to the day before if I didn’t finish the page. I try to write a full page for each day.

I write in another journal that sits on my desk next to the laptop in my litle office studio. This journal is for note taking during Zoom meetings and workshops. I will also make lists of what needs to be done that day for either teaching or consulting and I will write down ideas or suggestions about teaching. I’m not teaching this semester, so I’ve been trying to figure out what to do with all of my extra time. Two years ago I took an art class during the winter semester, and last year I worked on a revision of my children’s book and planned to send it to a publisher, however, that hasn’t happened. Maybe that should go on the to-do list for this winter. Anyway, putting away my sewing stuff I ran across a knitting project I started over ten years ago. It’s a navy blue cardigan sweater.

I think I started it in 2008 or 9, I only finished the back that winter. Then a few years later I knit the right front. But it is only 99 percent finished. The problem is it has a complicated cable pattern, so each time I pick it up to knit I have to study and keep track of every row of the ten row pattern. Ugh! The notes from the last time I worked on it did not make sense, so I set the right front aside and started the left front. I created a grid to keep track of the rows. I’ve now finished the bottom 3″ ribbing and two full rounds of the ten-row cable pattern. It needs to be about 23″ before I shape the neck. Shaping the neck is where I stopped working on the right front. I need to figure out where I stopped. So I will do that when I get to that point with the left front.

Many years ago I knit a whole sweater in one winter. I’ve knit scarves, hats, mittens and socks. I don’t know why this sweater has taken so long. I’ve always thought of myself as that person who is a “Jill of all trades but a master on none” because of all my interests. Of course I had to Google this quote because I couldn’t remember the beginning and I learned something new. The original quote said “A Jack of all trades is a master of none, but oftentimes is better than a master of one.” Well that makes me feel better. However, I still need to finish the sweater project!

So, have a great day and I will keep you posted on how this winter 2021 proceeds.