Coming soon to Art166.com.

~ ~ ~

The Backstory -

Last night, I dragged myself from my hacking, wheezing, sickbed to attend the high school graduation of one of my favorite people in the world.

After crossing several HUGE hurdles -- leaving the house, walking from the parking lot to the auditorium, and STEPS! -- I gratefully collapsed into a seat, sucking on my inhaler like a baby to a bottle of chocolate milk.

It was all worth it; not only did I get to share in the graduation, but the auditorium is an amazing piece of architecture! Typically, during all the speeches and introductions, I spent my time taking photos of the fabulous, vintage interior.

Of course I did!

Though I didn't feel up to working with them last night, I did pick a couple and gave them a quick treatment this morning. Sitting underneath this massive, glowing structure was pretty intriguing stuff. I couldn't take my eyes (or lens) off of it!

Easy, wheezy fun!

Coming soon to Art166.com.

~

News of the day -

I just read that the highly deserving Dr. John is begging for comments, today. Please click here and leave him one! His blog is a humorous, dramtic and enticing daily read, and the chronicles of daily life in Pigeon Falls, with it's colorful residents, giant white rabbit, and the mysterious house on the hill, is not to be missed!

~ ~ ~

Thanks for all the comments over the last few days, even when I wasn't here to respond.

You guys rock!

Today, manipulated fractals! These were created using Sterlingware and Fractal Explorer 2, and manipulated in Photoshop 7.

~ Networked

~ Liquid Stone

- (click image for a larger view)

Coming soon to Art166.com.

_____

The backstory -

I'm "calling in sick" today, (calling in sick to the Internet -- is that more funny or pathetic?), but was compelled to post something new, anyway.

Can't have you getting bored!

The first pic, "Networked", is a manip of my work area/virtual studio. Look closely, and you might make out a couple of computer towers and some speakers. There's a printer in there, too, but's it's harder to see.

The second pic, "Liquid Stone", (which I'm now wondering if I've posted before. It looks very familiar hanging here), is (was!) a bridge/overpass in Austin, Texas.

Variations on a Road

- (click image for a larger view)

Coming soon to Art166.com.

___________

The backstory -

While on my knees in the middle of this beautifully paved (and traffic-free!) road, I knew exactly what I wanted to do with the manip.

Well, the best laid plans . . .

As I sat at the computer, working on this, I was bombarded with all these different visions of what I'd photographed, and what I wished I'd photographed.

Never let it be said that I bowed to time and nature.

20 hours and about a dozen manipulations later, I chose these four as Monday's Bllog Show and Tell.

Oh, and I really need ink for my printer. If anyone has a good, discount source for authentic Canon ink, feel free to chime in!

”

~ Gangland

~ Sunday Lace

~ Slow Dance

- (click image for a larger view)

Coming soon to Art166.com.

___________

I only slept for two hours, but managed to oversleep enough to miss my Friday garbage pick-up. I'm wheezy and sneezy and having salad croutons and a cup of Earl Grey for breakfast.

The day can only improve . . .

”

Today's Pics -

Extreme photo manips of my living room!

___________

Yesterday, Jafabrit posted this comment regarding my blue trees:

"I like that you make us see the familiar in a different way."

I thought about that for a bit, and the thing is, I'm compelled to portray things 'differently' because that's my general perception. Very few things seem really familiar or mundane to me. The world, mostly, is extreme and incredibly foreign (sometimes, in a very good way, sometimes . . . not so much).

My sister, Sharon, once commented that traveling with me was a nightmare, as "you have to comment on every blade of grass along the road." Well, d'uh! I mean, there's dew-kissed grass, grass drifting in the breeze, sun-baked grass, moonlit grass . . .

Friends have teased me about using the term "amazing!" so often. I can't help it; I'm so often amazed at the very existence of things! Color! Texture! Form! Emotion! Music! Words! All of it amazing, a hundred times a day!

Rather than turn this post into a rambling dissertation on "W. J.'s Reality -- Sublime or Ridiculous?" I'll admit that I am, indeed, a stranger in a very strange land, and my creative output reflects that.

Chemical imbalance?
Sleep deprivation?
Insanity?

Lucky me!

”

Coming soon to Art166.com.

~

The Backstory -

While attending a baby shower, I spent a couple of hours playing baby-shower-games (What's the correct term for a baby bison?), over-indulging in a baby-shower-feast (lots of stuff, but, most notably, cheesy enchiladas and CAKE), and engaging in profound baby-shower-conversation (after all the carbs, my brain was numb. Pretty sure I didn't contribute much).

At about the point where enough baby-talk was too much baby-talk, my trusty Canon leapt into my hand and dragged me, protesting all the way, into the great suburban outdoors.

Blessed quiet.

Bracing fresh air.

Trees!

What's a girl to do?

”

~ Endless Talk of Chocolate

- (click image for a larger view)

Coming soon to Art166.com.

”

From the "Witcher's Lamp 2" series

~ Splash!

~ Cosmic Dream

- (click image for a larger view)

Coming soon to Art166.com.

___________

I'm back on-line, and, unsurprisingly, last week was not what I planned. C'est la vie, and on to new business!

Big thanks to my regular readers/viewers, who kept the 'blog rolling while I was away. I peeked in often enough to know that you each made your presence felt -- supportive comments from Karen, Lynette, Tammi and John; well-deserved chastisement from the good Dr. John; snarky enticement to abandon my hiatus from the most Twisted of Chilis; and, rambunctious and illicit partying by Snoo and Jafabrit, with TC providing the, obviously ignored, voice of reason. Rowdy Brits!

Food fights?

Alcohol?

Ugh! I just stepped in . . . CHOCOLATE CAKE???? What a shameful waste of perfectly good chocolate cake!

Well, I guess I don't mind. Someone did a very nice after-party cleanup job! It's a sort of compliment to know my "virtual peeps" can enjoy my space, even if I'm not actually occupying such space!

Thanks, guys!

Today's Pics -

A couple of you may remember an old posting which chronicled my (mis)adventures in an unsuspecting oral surgeon's office.

Read about it, here.

The original photo, above, was taken that day. I took quite a few photos, and the distinctive form of that examination lamp will keep me knee-deep in manipulations for years to come!

You've gotta love that kind of post-op complication!

”

~ Observation Station

~ Beyond the Pale

- (click image for a larger view)

Coming soon to Art166.com.

___________

Dr. John -

Sir! Yes, Sir!

”

- (click image for a larger view)

~ Houston Hardware 2

Coming soon to Art166.com.

_________

In the interest of maintaining some modicum of credibility, I'll post a direct quote from this past Tuesday morning's blog. I wrote:

"I'lll stop by here every morning, to post some very fresh eye candy . . ."

I guess now we know who's actually reading and who's just scanning!

Now, except for a morning 'pic post', I'll see you guys next Tuesday!

”

- (click image for a larger view)

Coming soon to Art166.com.

___________

"Wednesday's child is full of woe."

I'm not really a 'Wednesday's child', but today is Wednesday and I am somewhat woeful.

We had a big weather change yesterday, with cooling temps (which was great) and severe storms (which was great for me, 'cuz I love storms, but not for everyone).

Unfortunately, the high winds kicked up a crapload of dust, and the precipitation left behind a ton of mold. The two things I'm most allergic to? Dust and mold! Consequently, this morning I've got a sore throat, sticky, runny eyes, and I'm coughing and wheezing and generally asthmatic.

In the words of Dr. John, "I need a breathing treatment."

Thanks for the great comments, yesterday; and a special, if somewhat dubious thanks to Jafabrit who created a special cockroach, just for me!

Ah, you shouldn't have! Really . . .

Darn, I just remembered -- I wasn't writing today, just posting a new pic! Maybe I'll do better, tomorrow!

”

- (click image for a larger view)

Coming soon to Art166.com.

___________

"A man's gotta know his limitations."
~ Dirty Harry Callahan

Truer words were never spoken.

Did you ever have so much to do, that you were just paralyzed? That's where I am, right now.

Housework (major housework), blog-writing, blog-surfing, revamping the website, re-writing and mailing brochures, a front yard that looks worse than any other on the block, and gecko running wild in the kitchen that refuses to be captured or killed. I'm so intimidated by it, that I'm sleeping with all the lights and the TV on. If it were bigger (and slower) I'd go after it with the gun! With all of this, I still have to find an hour or so a day to create . . . something. And, to top it all off, it's Monday night, and I've already had one sick day this week.

Aargh!

So, in the interest of what's left of my tenuous sanity, I'm taking a break from blogging, net surfing, and 'creating' for the next seven days.

No blog-surfing (pointlessly chasing empty traffic. BlogMad, BlogExplosion, and BlogClicker will have to do without me for awhile), and no wordy, involved blog posts. No staying up all night reading fan fiction and following link after link after . . . well, you get the idea. Honestly, I'll probably still be up all night, but not at the computer! No spontaneous Photoshopping every time I get a 'bright' idea to try something amazing.

One week to live like I did B.I. (before the Internet). I'm a little nervous about it, but curiously excited by the prospect.

I'll stop by here every morning, to post some very fresh eye candy and catch up with any comments, but that's it! Time to prove that I'm not addicted!

Hopefully, when I return, I'll be writing to you from a fabulously clean house with a neatly trimmed yard out front (though that second one is kind of a long shot as it's high asthma season, and I'm allergic to most grasses). Hopefully, the changes I have planned for Art166.com will have been implemented, and quite a few new pieces will be on display and offered for sale. (They're already completed and ready to go.)

Keep an eye out for my new "Profondo Rosso" gallery, which will be stocked with dramatically RED images. I can't wait to get those listed!

I'm really curious to see how much I can accomplish with the hours I won't be on-line.

Time will tell.

Oops, almost forgot to mention -- I opened an account at "Flickr" this weekend. Why? Because it's got a very cool slideshow function! There's not much in it yet, but if you want to check it out, click the link in my sidebar, or go here:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/art166/

Later, gators!

P. S. Did anyone catch Rick Springfield's live performance on the "Daytime Emmy Awards" Friday night? He totally rocked! I'm thinking 56 is the new 35!

”