Out of Sorts

Yes, this is a self portrait.  I know, a little Picasso-y, but it is how I have been feeling the last few days, and there are reasons for it. 

On Monday, as I went to my car to load up and go home, I slipped and fell on the ice that was invisible.  We call it black ice.  I heard my head hit the pavement once and then again.  Ouch.  The lump that formed on my head was the size of a mouse all curled up.  It wasn't cute.  It wasn't funny.  It hurt. 

I ended up going to an "Urgency Center," which is a cross between an urgent care and an emergency room.  I was very impressed with the facility.  They did a cat scan.  No concussion.  That was good news.  So it was back to Jenny's home to recover.  Ouch!  My head hurt!!!!!

That night, in the 3 AM hour, both Jenny and I jumped out of bed and ran into each other in the hall.  We had both heard something.  She heard a man outside of her window saying, "They're up."  Of course, she called 911, and while she was talking a man came up to her sliding glass doors and was looking in at us.  I was yelling and screaming, "Get away.  The cops are on their way.  I was waving a coffee cup.  I don't think that intimidated him much.  He just shook his head and said, "No."  I was shocked.  You'd think if there was a crazy woman screaming at you with a coffee cup in her hand ready to hurt you, you'd be running.  He continued to look in the window at us.  I continued to run around yelling.  Jenny yelled, "The cops are a block away."  It seemed like it had been hours since the call, but I think it must have been minutes.  He turned around and left, and we breathed a sigh of relief.  About this time, the police came up and guess who stepped out of the edge of Jenny's deck.  The same man who had been looking in.  He knew where to stand to stay out of our view.  As he was being arrested, I took his picture.  I'm not going to post it here, but I do have it labeled on my computer as "SOB."  He was taken away by the police.  We waited to hear from them, and when we didn't Jenny called 911 again.  She was told that the man had been drunk and was taken to the nearest detox center. 

Neither one of us slept much the rest of the night.  I had a headache.  I was a bit dizzy.  Not only that, we had just had the scare of our lives.  I still can't believe that I looked this guy in the face telling him to leave, and he said NO.  I was so glad to see the police that night.

We have come to find out that for whatever reason, the police do not have a record or recording of Jenny's 911 calls.  They can't even find a police report.  I guess that when someone is taken to a detox center, the police do not have to file a report.  We want some information pertaining to safety.  I'm appalled, but I have been told that they are working on this.  Hopefully, I'll hear from them today as promised, if not, I'll be calling.
So, when you see my self portrait up above, you do know what kind of days I have been having.  My head still has a good sized lump on it.  The lump is more of an huge egg size now, extra jumbo sized, and it still hurts, but I am on the mend.  Hopefully, I won't skip too many more posts, I just have to recover from this weekend. 

I cheated!

You saw the elephant painting a self portrait! Wasn't that absolutely fabulous? If I hadn't seen it myself, I wouldn't have believed it. Anyway, back to Sylvie's online Facebook class. This week the assignment was to make a bead that was a self portrait. I cheated! I uploaded 3 beads because I couldn't decide which one I liked the best. I'll let you decide. Sylvie suggested that we go online and look at the way other artists portrayed themselves. That's how I found the elephant video. I also found many of the more traditional self portraits, then I found Picasso's self portrait. It was fabulous! His nose was in one area. His eyes in another. I was absolutely fascinated! That's when the idea of an abstract self portrait might be the way to go.

So, I doodled and doodled. I found one design that I really liked. I used black as a base and pink, guess who loves pink, as the other color in the bead. The doodle I made just reminded me of an Egyptian symbol. for what, I don't know, but it did. (Since I am also working on improving my stringer control, I thought this would be the way to go.) Oh, I know I need more practice, but that's not the issue. This self portrait made me feel the joy of being open to new experiences. Hmmmm. That's my story and I'm sticking to it!

So, then I cheated. I added two more photos. We were only supposed to add one, but.....



















Again, I tried to show joy in the movement of the glass. Arms are up in the air, and I feel like I am dancing.



















This bead shows the diva in me. If I knew how to make eyebrows that weren't frowns and lips that weren't crooked, this diva would be much happier. If she didn't have a crack in her forehead, she'd be happier, too. I suppose there is a diva in all of us. I have found mine.

So, Sylvie, forgive me. I cheated. You can scold me in your nicest mean voice. (Sylvie isn't so tough.) This was a great assignment!

Finding your Voice as a Glass Bead Maker: People who won't Leave

In Sylvie's class this week, the assignment is: Self Portrait. In the assignment, Sylvie suggested that we search out other sites to see how other artists portray themselves. As I searched, I came across this UTube video. I am humbled. It is amazing to me how God's creatures are able to accomplish so much.


Need I say more? My self portrait to follow later.