Do more things that make me happy

I biked the Silver Comet Trail yesterday with my friend Patricia. We biked 14 miles and it felt great to be immersed in the beauty of autumn for an afternoon. Something I haven’t done in quite awhile!

Two weeks ago I went to Piedmont Park, and rather than run around like I usually do, I just laid on the grass and looked upwards at the passing clouds. It was quite nice to enjoy doing nothing.

I’m going plein air painting with two artist friends of mine. I found this private garden in Atlanta that was featured on HGTV…I contacted the owner, and he’s letting us paint his gardens this Sunday for a few hours. His place is massive, and I think it’s going to be a blast. We’re meeting up for breakfast at a local breakfast spot in Decatur called Crescent Moon.

Gardens:
http://www.ryangainey.com/projects/poetryandprose/default.htm

And tomorrow night my artist friend Collette is meeting me at my new art studio for some painting and drawing. It’ll be fun to have some company and paint/draw together.

I have an art show coming up in early November, and have to get busy painting so I have some work to show. I’ve pulled together a list of figure models – I now have about 20 to 30 models I can call for painting sessions. So I’m thrilled I was able to pull together such an extensive list. Now I have to figure out who’s who and get to work.

And the easel I currently own isn’t up for the task of working on large pieces. It’s one of those cheapo portable ones, great for plein air, but I need a real heavy duty easel if I’m going to bring models in for figure painting. Right now my panels are mounted against the walls. With this setup, I can’t see the model while painting/drawing…doesn’t make much sense for what I’m trying to do.

Just saw the Grand Canyon yesterday with my dad. It’s absolutely incredible! One of the things to see while you’re still on this planet. There are multiple lookout points along the South Rim, all of which are at an elevation of 7,000 to 8,000 feet. You really have to be careful here – there are lookout points where you can literally walk right to the edge. One mis-step and say bye! I’ll post photos in a few days when I get back to Atlanta.

I’m here on a family vacation in the Red Rock Mountains. It’s simply beautiful. People come here from all over the world to experience the vortices (vortex) or energy centers. We went to the airport mesa, one of the vortices this afternoon, and took quite a few photos. Tomorrow we’re going off-roading on a jeep tour. And we plan to see the Grand Canyon as well. I can’t upload any photos yet, I don’t have a digital camera.

Went to Ruby Falls near Helen, Georgia on Saturday. The falls were magnificent, definitely worth seeing. The hike to the falls was also quite scenic. I wish I had photos to share, but I didn’t feel like lugging the camera.

I went salsa dancing at Sanctuary on Saturday night…I was surprised to see such a warm & inviting atmosphere, unlike so many other dance clubs. The regulars all seem to know each other. I still enjoy Tongue & Groove salsa nights on Wednesdays, but this was a nice change of pace and I look forward to going back.

I’m seeing the B-52s down here in Boca Raton, Fla for New Years. Should be a fun time! It’s been awhile since I’ve seen a concert, something I enjoy very much. Spent Hanukkah with family this past week. Nice to be home.

I recently had a revelation (kind of)...I was preparing my dinner, and realized how little care I put into the things that I do – not always, but on many occasions. I was going to just throw a sandwich on a plate and that would be my dinner…in this fast-paced society, I’m sure many of you can relate. But I decided to cut an orange into slices, add some chips, and watch “That 70s Show”. And it’s amazing how much better I felt. It doesn’t take much. So in 2006, I want to stop living like a Neanderthal. That’s one of my resolutions.

Meditation can teach you to live in the moment, but the mundane hour-to-hour things that happen during the day can be much more enjoyable by paying attention to the little things using all of your senses. ie: taking a bath vs taking a bath with jazz music, lit candles, essential oils and incense

I went swing dancing at this ASEDA function over by Emory, and had a blast last night. I forgot how much I enjoyed dancing! And on Thursday, for my 34th bday, went to Eyedrum for their monthly improv music night…got up on stage and jammed with other musicians for a few hours. It was awesome, look forward to getting up on stage more often.