Sunsets, Stars, West, Wind
I drew this Zentangle last night right before heading off to bed. I don’t think it’s quite as ‘good’ as my first one, since I didn’t follow the ‘rule’ about repeating patterns. But, it’s my Zentangle and I’ll draw it however I feel like drawing it. 🙂
I learned about Zentangles yesterday, which is a more focused form of doodling (in a nutshell). Also, you’re supposed to do them in pen because you are not allowed to erase any ‘mistakes.’
Here’s my first attempt at a Zentangle:
I may color parts of this one with colored pencils tonight.
I updated my “Exercise Your Mind” Bingo card to reflect my progress.
Next up: Jigsaw Puzzles.
I just finished my previous two walking challenges (one successfully up the coast of sunny virtual California and one oh-so-close-but-not-quite walk across Kansas thanks to record rainfalls in May). No rest for the weary, I suppose.
I picked up my packet for the Lansing Community Library summer reading program (not just for kids anymore! – all ages welcome) at the kickoff event Saturday afternoon. Don’t worry, you’ll have another chance to sign up tonight at 5:30 p.m. and meet one of the Sporting KC players.
Not only is this a reading challenge, it’s an exercise one as well. My packet included quizzes about healthy foods, facts and olympic athletes. The most interesting and challenging of my various goals will be the “Exercise Your Mind Bingo” card, which I recreated as a Google Doc so I could easily update it as I progress and share it here in this blog post.
[googleapps domain=”docs” dir=”document/d/1tWwH-CAuxLcw3q3QFliQPFiwJbfu6bm9_JmzCGbyDEs/pub” query=”embedded=true” width=”600″ height=”1000″ /]
To satisfy the “Learn about easy life hacks” I did a Google search on ‘life hacks’ (duh) and read a few ‘top 100’-type postings. I settled on following @LifeHacks to get daily bits of dubious wisdom. Most of them are good for a chuckle.
Next up: Learning to draw a Zentangle (whatever that is and I’m sure it’ll be fun to find out).
For the last few years, I’ve paid a supporting membership in Worldcon so that I could nominate and vote in the Hugo Awards. This year, I actually get to attend Worldcon, since it’s hosted in Kansas City, Missouri this August. The cost of actually attending MidAmeriCon was quite a bit steeper than the supporting membership, but I’m hoping it will be worth it. I haven’t attended an SF con since DragonCon five years ago. So I’m do for some geeky fun.
Best Novel (3695 nominating ballots) (for the rest of the categories, click here)
I need to read four of the above five nominees before the end of July (when voting closes). I read Ancillary Mercy by Leckie almost the moment is was released (I pre-ordered the ebook). I’m currently listening to Uprooted by Novik. I have Aeronaut’s Windlass and Seveneves queued up for listening and Fifth Season is waiting for me to crack open the book if my ears get tired.
You can check my reading progress right here on my blog via the “Currently Reading” widget found in the right-hand pane of this page.
Leckie has set a high bar with her Ancillary trilogy, but only time will tell if Breq will retain my vote.
Please take a few minutes and watch this amazing documentary about war and peace.
[vimeo 128373915 w=640 h=360]
The Fallen of World War II from Neil Halloran on Vimeo.
You will find hope if you reach the end credits. I guarantee it.
May has been like April was supposed to be – full of showers. And all that rain is preventing me from taking refreshing lunch time walks (otherwise, I end up walking in circles in the bottom of the parking garage where there’s no signal, no sunshine and no spring flowers). Thursday saw a break in the clouds (sort of) and I walked east a couple of blocks to visit the Kauffman Memorial Gardens. I took several photos and didn’t get much walking done for 5-10 minutes. More like a stroll through the park (click on photo to see the rest of the album).
At the beginning of April, I embarked on two (2) virtual walks. The first is sponsored by my employer and is called “The Big 1” and described as “The Big 1 takes you on a coastal voyage from Laguna Beach in the south all the way up to San Francisco. It is going to be a beautiful trip and your goal is to complete the route along the Pacific Coast Highway in six weeks.” Continue reading “Double Timing It: Walk Across Kansas and Up the Coast of California Simultaneously”
Some of my uncle’s recent watercolors for your enjoyment.
Excellent book review posted on my uncle’s blog:
Book Review: American Tumbleweeds by Marta Elva Four Stars “Tragedy of condemning children to the consequences of their parents’ deeds.” Compelling and heart breaking. An already-fragile family rips apart in the border-straddling communities of El Paso and Cuidad Juarez, isolating its youngest member at a vulnerable time of her life. Inez’s sad tale of paradise […]
via Book Review: American Tumbleweeds by Marta Elva (Four Stars) — As a Matter of Fancy
I received an invitation from Kaite Stover, Director of Reader Services for the Kansas City Public Library, a few weeks ago, asking me if I would like to read The Muralist by B.A. Shapiro (also author of The Art Forger) and attend the discussion to be held at the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art on Saturday, March 19th. I readily agreed because the book sounded interesting and there was the added bonus of a special tour of the Contemporary Art gallery conducted by the curator, Jan Schall, Ph.D. Continue reading “Abstract Art Juxtaposed With Muralist Book Discussion”