Next?

Sam seems to like the new art table as much as I do.

Saturday was my last day at a job I started as a summer-hire. At that time, it was my intention to serve my allotted term in that position and then move on. However, I stayed past my end-date for many reasons, but none of those reasons included a true desire to really grow in banking. While I could see myself doing well in banking, particularly as a relationship banker, I lacked the true motivation for it.

I feel, a little bit, like I'm at a standstill. What I mean is, up until this point, I've had a pretty good idea about what I want to be doing when it comes to work. Through the process of yoga teacher training and leaving my most recent job, I've realized that there are two things I know for sure: 1. I love helping people, and 2. I love creating. Right now, I feel like I don't know anything beyond those two things. The question, "What do I really want to do?" remains open-ended.

I decided to stop making excuses around most of my art stuff being in Florida (by stuff I mean art table, easel, etc.) and bought a table and stool to set up for painting. 2 minutes after setting that up, Sam went and laid down beneath it :) I think that's a good sign.

I know I'd like to explore doing postcard-sized art; I'm not entirely sure why, but that idea has been with me for some time now. I also have a couple of projects to work on for Anthony before he gets home (39days!), but I can't write about it yet as it would ruin the surprise.

"Sammy's so confused, he doesn't know whether to scratch his watch or wind his butt."-Steel Magnolias 

Photos from Holmes Run Trail

 This is the first time I've experienced a northern autumn. The trees' leaves actually change colors with shocks of oranges, reds, golden yellows, and browns. It seems to happen overnight, but it takes all year. While the colors and changes are very beautiful, I miss Florida's faux fall as it is very simple---it's either green or brown outside, or maybe a little taste of both.

In many ways with fall up here, there is so much drama: the colors, the leaves falling, the raking, county-wide leaf collection dates, more leaves dropping, more raking, more leaf vacuuming (yes, they actually do leaf collection via vacuum). The most joy I get from this time of year (so far) is Sam's reaction to the leaves being swept along by the wind. Every moving leaf is a toy to her, and the minute she has her paws on one leaf, she moves on to the next. Oh, and she likes to eat them too. So I have my personal leaf vacuum to clean the patio deck.

Despite the drama, I can't deny its beauty or its concrete reminder of the passage of time, the need to shed and made room for new growth. Anthony and I run these trails together, but by the time he gets home, all the crunchy leaves will be replaced by slushy snow.    

 How do you feel about fall?

Smells like comics...and the 5th of November

My experience with comic book stores is that they are the same right down to the smell. They're small, crowded (with comics, not people), narrow, musty, carpeted with a drippy, dated window air units, impossibly tall shelves, and just, well, old. While I can't say they are my favorite place to go, they do bring back fond memories of the 4th floor of the UNF Library, pre-new addition/new construction. It was a massive floor devoted to every book you could think of, and I always purposefully got lost amongst the art books. I'd go in looking to take 1 or 2 and end up leaving with at least 7.

Anyways...Not too far down the road from Anthony's Restaurant is a place called Hole in the Wall Books (and Comics). Anthony enjoys comic books, but I'm thankful he isn't so fanatical that we have bookcase upon bookcase devoted to holding preciously packaged back issues. But that might just be because we only have one bookcase...I'm not sure :) I'll take Anthony here after the holidays, see what it's like, see what he thinks. I didn't really grow up reading comic books and consequently didn't really grow attached to a specific superhero, anti-hero, etc. I remember my cousins having comic books and a few in particular being anal about keeping them covered in plastic. As a kid, I remember thinking that was silly. Why have it if you can't really use it or touch it or enjoy it? Besides, I got too caught up in the pictures to really read the text or understand the characters.

The superhero movies are fun---Superman, Batman, Spiderman, X-Men---but I never felt anything deeper than the surface satisfaction that a good action film/hero story fulfills. V for Vendetta, however, is different. While my dad hold's the world record for watching that film over and over and over again (to the point of  nauseating my mom), I have also watched it many times. And I can thank my dad for introducing me to it. Even after seeing it several times, I find the concept refreshing. A "super-hero" (a little more realistic than the flying, batty ones) who actually holds people accountable and enacts justice? Cool. Sure, there are moral issues that come into question---like the glaring one, that violence is one of the only ways to enact justice---but ultimately, I think V is the best comic book hero because he stands for truth (oxymoron, I know---truth from a masked man), justice, progress, and in short, no bullshit. As a kid, I remember getting so annoyed with  movies that showed the conflict between good and evil. The "good" would always try to give the "evil" a second and third and fourth chance by being compassionate, and he/she/it would always get screwed over and then end up being upset for faltering. V offers compassion for what is right and non-tolerance for what is not....pretty harsh but pretty powerful and kind of relieving. Besides, who doesn't feel like we're living somewhat in the corrupt, futuristic UK depicted in the film?

I digress. Anthony, get ready for Hole in the Wall :)