Cue-Based Planning?

And what, you might ask, is cue-based planning? And why should I care? Well, it’s apparently a better way to make your dreams come true. Based on the Wall Street Journal’s summary of research by Wharton professor Katy Milkman, cue-based planning simply boils down to “if x, then y.” As an example, don’t just say […]

Without a Brain

A wise woman, pastel instructor and good friend insists, rather vehemently, “ignore the photo.” She doesn’t mean photographs aren’t good for reference material; I use them all the time, and that’s how my travel paintings happen. What she means is don’t let the photo dictate what’s in the painting. Many artists try to reproduce a […]

Less Is More

You’ve heard it said. You’ve read the t-shirt or bumper sticker. Yet you probably haven’t really given much thought to “less is more.” Besides the obvious warning against conspicuous consumption, what does this mean? Research reported in The Economist explains we have a tendency to add, rather than subtract, when we try to improve things. […]

Imposter Syndrome

This unfortunate affliction tends to hit women. Men seem to be mostly immune, subscribing instead to the “fake it ’til you make it” school of thought. Some, based on my corporate experience, fake it forever, and never get called out on it. LOL Women, however, often seem to believe they have to be expert at […]

Painting, Drawing and Defunding

Certain words aren’t as clear as they could be, or should be. Defunding, of course, has been in the news recently. Some people understand it to mean abolish the police. The true intent, however, seems to be to focus police on protecting people and solving crimes. Some police funding would be used to allow other […]

Goal Gradient Behavior

Our number finally came up to register for the vaccine. Sort of. Well, maybe. Somewhere. But possibly not for a week or two. The state announced we’re eligible. One major hospital system managed to incorporate that information into their sign-up process. The one with which our doctor is affiliated, however, did not. The doctor’s office […]

Sigh of Relief

All of us have been caught up lately in the fog of politics, made worse by COVID. After the trauma of a contested election, then the threat of armed mobs disrupting democracy’s peaceful transition of power, it’s been wonderful to go back to quiet, competent government. It seems like there is finally light at the […]

Not Mashed Potatoes

The subjects I feel the urge to paint most often, besides cityscapes from my travels – sadly, not this year – are seascapes, particularly sunsets over the water. Not enjoying plein air (painting on-site) due to sunburn, bugs and intrusive passers-by, I often work from photos taken near my studio on the Connecticut shore. One […]

Laughing Relieves Stress

My talented friend Beth Gibbs is a retired nonprofit and broadcast executive, turned author and yoga instructor. A recent post she wrote reminded me about the health value of laughter. Given the craziness and stress we are all dealing with this year, it seemed worth sharing some of those tidbits. The Mayo clinic lists several […]

Pandemic Archeology

Staying safely at home has given me time for long-envisioned projects. One of those is going through old scrapbooks and photo albums, my pandemic archeology project. Clearing them out will leave more room in my closet for shoes and hats – a noble cause, I thought. LOL These materials date back to my school years, […]