Birthday lurve

A little over six years ago I met the most amazing man. So amazing, I might add, that ever since that very first day we've barely spent a day apart. Incredible, right? He is my love, my heart, my partner and my very best friend.

So happy birthday, Mr. Ben! Even though you're working your butt off today, I hope you realize just how special you are and how much you mean to me and to all of us!

Love always,
Your Old Ball and Chain

XOXO

the safety of pencils

I played hooky yesterday.

I was here at the shop for a total of one hour before my mom called to let me know that she was taking my dad and my grandmother to see the Georgia O'Keeffe/Arthur Dove collection at The Clark before the run ended. No brainer, right? Yes, yes, call me irresponsible and a bad business owner, but what would you have done? I'm not making excuses for myself here because I had a wonderful time, and I just need a day away from the shop every now and then. It was worth every second. The collection was sweet although a bit small, and I was re-introduced to Arthur Dove in a way that's much more meaningful than thumbing through his work in a textbook.

Whenever I venture into a museum or a gallery, I take a notebook and a pen with me and jot down notes, titles, sometimes a sketch or two...whatever. I find myself flipping through these same notebooks years later only to find these little blurbs. Sometimes they don't make sense, but sometimes they bring back pleasant memories and provide me with the opportunity to look up some of the art referenced in my notes. It's nice to rediscover treasures you may have forgotten about. I'm amazed at some of the things I've seen in my lifetime and have since totally forgotten about. This may sound like a great idea and all, but it actually works out to be a terrible pain in the ass and I don't know why I even bother, really. People will knock you over while trying to look over your shoulder to see what you're writing. Security gives you the hairy eyeball. Not fun.

Anyway, I had my little moleskine notebook with me this time around and a rather Lurchey-looking guard quite loudly confronted me about my pen. I was lectured on the fact that pens are not allowed in The Clark and he proceeded to hand me a pencil. Seriously. Too much damage can be done with a pen, apparently, but a pencil, well, safe as kittens. I still don't get it, but I find it funny that such a big scene was made out of my ball point pen. Precisely the reason why I don't venture into The Clark very often. It's a beautiful place that provides the opportunities to see priceless works of art for a nominal fee, but I feel like I'm being stalked while I'm wandering through the galleries.

Nevertheless, it was a great day. The trees in the Berkshires are changing color already, some of them already fully dressed in a brilliant scarlet shade, some of them already dropping leaves to the ground. Such a weird year we're having. Still, the trees were my favorite part of the entire trip, and the birches on the grounds of The Clark were breathtaking.

Oh, and P.S. the O'Keeffe/Dove exhibit is up through the 7th of this month. Get there fast and be sure to arm yourselves only with the safety of pencils!

it's the little things...

A slight lull in the craziness lately provided me with the opportunity to slow down and enjoy the little things.

Nancy's Swiss chard and a trusty macro lens:

Zombie-esque fun:

Yes, I know they're not really zombies, but they're pretty damn close!


More time with Glenn:
More photos to come when the peely/scabby phase is behind me.



One of the sweetest movies I've seen in a long time:
Love me some Ryan Gosling!


A celebration of birthdays of both of my grandparents:
She's 80, he's 79. Gram robbed the cradle back in the day!

One of the worst movies I've ever seen:
Enough said.

And time spent with family I can never seem to get enough of:

Nancy, Ned and Rob came up from Florida for close to two weeks and we had such a great time. Can't wait to get down there in October to see you guys again!

Life feels like it's getting back to normal with my dad home and healthy, two huge parties we've been planning forever out of the way, and out of town visitors home safely. I'm pooped but happy. Hopefully things will go back to normal in blog world, too!

an ode to Glenn

Had my third sitting with Glenn last night, and while he's made a lot of progress since my last tattoo post, we still have a looooong way to go.

I'm so unbelievably impressed with how it's coming along and it's amazing to think that he's only been at this for a matter of months. True talent. Anyway, sorry for the lack of photos after the second sitting, but I don't want to bore anyone with the basics.

Next sitting will revolve around finishing the teeny lines that make up the shading, and then we'll move onto the back of my arm. Can't wait!

What do you think thus far?

In other news, I'm seriously considering trying the 365 project over at Flickr on for size. Have you tried it? I've been thinking about it for a while and I don't really know why I never jumped in head first. I know I really don't need another thing on my plate at the moment, but I'm feeling seriously uninspired in both my personal and professional life and I think this might be the bump I need. I figure I can keep it as simple as possible or go all out when I'm feeling the urge. I'd love to hear your stories if you've tried it. Love/loved it? Hated it and quit? I don't know if I'll really be able to do this every day for a year, but I'm willing to try. Fill me in!

R.I.P.

Fantastic video memorial for a great man here.

R.I.P. John Hughes!

I'm such a terrible friend!

In the madness that has been the last month or two, I have completely ignored this blog, and also, I've neglected to recognize the birthdays of two very great friends. So here goes...better late than never.

August 3rd: Happy Birthday, Dave!

I've known Dave for many, many years now and he's one of the select few people from grade school/high school that I've remained friends with. Dave is, by far, one of the most talented people I've ever met, and it's refreshing to see someone actually use that artistic ability to make a name for himself. Dave's work can be seen all over the area in various galleries, shops and cafes and we're all so proud of him. He's a great friend and I'm honored to have him in my life. No one can bust my balls quite like Dave. And yes, that's a compliment! Happy birthday, dude!

August 6th: Happy Birthday, Keith!

Keith is another friend I've known for so long that I can't actually calculate exactly when he became a permanent fixture in my life. I honestly don't know what I'd do without him. One of the sweetest, funniest and honest people you'll ever meet in your life, Keith stands out as a genuinely amazing person. Intelligent, caring and sharp as a tack, this kid will literally make you pee in your pants with his one-of-a-kind sense of humor.

So happy birthday, killer! Can't wait to see you in October!

I hope this wasn't a cheater move by lumping them both into one post, but hey, I'm doing it anyway. You boys both know how much I adore you already, but I wanted to say it again, just because!

was it you???

I arrived at my truck yesterday after work and found a delightful little surprise tucked underneath my wiper blades. The thing is, I don't know who these are from. I'd love to know. Such a sweet gesture.

To the person responsible, thank you. This added a little light to a very crappy couple of months. I appreciate it more than you'll ever know.